Introducing ASI Surfing Instructor: Ricardo Machado
Posted: 4 March 2021
Portugal. Ricardo Machado is originally from Brazil when he tried surfing. That changed his life, he knew he wanted to be near the ocean. He flew to Portugal to complete the ASI surfing instructor training. He chats about his journey, how ASI training has helped him realise his dream and COVID.
Introducing ASI Surfing Instructor: Ricardo Machado
PORTUGAL. ASI surfing instructor, Ricardo Machado is an ASI surfing instructor in based in the Algarve, Portugal. We caught up with Ricardo to find out more about him, his surfing journey so far and how COVID-19 has affected him and the surfing community in his part of the world.
Hi Ricardo; tell us a bit about your background
“I'm Brazilian and proud of it. I grew up in a small town in south Brasil playing football and my dreams until I was 17 years old was to become a pro football player (I didn't have enough discipline for that :p).
“I also trained Capoeira for 4 years, I was about to become a capoeira instructor when I was 18 years old.”
Author’s note: Capoeira is a traditional, energetic and exciting form of martial arts that blends acrobatics, dance and music!
How did you get started in surfing?
“Nothing was making me really happy but I was living close to the sea with many surfer friends and one day one of them started to teach me to surf. I suddenly loved it because I didn't need anybody else to play with me, just the waves and my board!
“My life changed a lot, 10 years after becoming a surfer, I became a lifeguard, the best job of my life because I could help many people, saving them from death and also I could better understand the sea and it's danger, so I became a better surfer while I was helping people and making some money.”
Why did you become an ASI qualified surf instructor?
“After six seasons as a lifeguard (4 in Brasil and 2 in Portugal) I decided to change course a little bit; lifeguards aren't well paid for the job we do. I saved some money and did the ASI Surfing instructor course with Sérgio Brandão (one of the best coaches I’ve ever met). I also knew that I could learn even more about surfing and start coaching surfing myself.”
Author's note: Sérgio Brandão is an ASI surf trainer with over 25 years experience. Sérgio set up one of Portugal’s first surf schools in the Algarve in 1996 and has surfed and coached at the highest levels.
What sort of activities and services are you offering to your customers right now?
“At the moment we're in lockdown in Portugal, I have some kids that I used to coach and train in swimming, skating, simulating surfing and surfing when it's possible. But at the moment we're just trying to keep fit to come back stronger to the days after lockdown (they keep training and surfing by themselves and I keep training and surfing when I can).
Hard times but we can have some surf if we travel by ourselves for 90 minutes to the south of Portugal.”
What do you love about being an ASI SUP instructor?
“I love to be close to the kids and be able to teach people about surfing, waves and the sea. I would also love the opportunity to be an international surf instructor; I would love to go to New Zealand to spend some time there and I would love to work as a surf instructor while traveling and surfing, it would be a beautiful experience.”
How has COVID and related restrictions changed how you operate?
“Covid-19 came not more than ten days after finishing the ASI course and everything changed. Lucky for me I was living with one of my student’s family and I could keep training her cause she had a pool long enough for training, also enough space around the pool for training surfing with the skate surfing simulator. We couldn't surf but we could train to keep fit for surfing, that was awesome.
“We both did such a good job that we sent a video to a surf skate simulator brand and they loved it so much they sent us a new YOW Surfskateboard!
“Of course I couldn't do surf lessons or the internship because all surf schools were closed, but on June 1st I signed with a school and everything started to work well. Summer 2020 wasn't that bad, today is february 9th, 2021 and I hope it's the last lockdown we have and wish from deep in my heart that the vaccines and medicines work well and we can have our lives back to as normal as it can be.”
Can you tell us about any memorable stories or situations that have happened whilst instructing?
“The funniest and most interesting situation I've had happen was with 2 kids, brothers, one of them 9 years old, the other 11, both of them crazy kids! They were always keen to go outside to catch bigger waves. One day I said “Ok, today we'll go outside…” Vasco 11 and Manel 9 were going with me over the channel to the outside when a big set came (a big set for them, it was 4ft and quite soft waves)
“Vasco the older brother started to scream to me super loud .."Ricardo what do I do now?? Oh my god, that wave will kill us all!!" ...while his little brother Manel was super chill behind me laughing out loud about his older brother’s reaction, I also started to laugh after seeing Manel laughing!
“After a set of 3 waves there were 3 of us laughing out loud on the channel without paddling. We stayed there for ten minutes like that, we couldn't paddle, just laughing about the situation! After that we kept paddling, we went outside and they got some nice waves and that was one of the best classes I've ever given.”
Thanks so much for taking the time to give us some insight into your surfing life and recent experiences, Ricardo. We wish you all the positive waves as you ride into 2021!
If you fancy becoming an ASI surf instructor like Ricardo then click here to find out how to get started and make your dream job a reality!
About ASI
ASI is a professional membership and training organisation and international governing body for instructors, coaches and schools in the outdoor recreation industry for surfing, stand up paddle and bodyboarding.
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