Ep. 4 - Jake Collard

Meet Jake Collard - owner/operator/head coach of Oso Paddle Surf in Nosara, Costa Rica. Coach Jake describes his athletic background in football, MMA, boxing, and jiu-jitsu and how boxing stance, balance, and footwork translate to SUP surfing. He explains how he learned largely through self-study, video analysis, and advice from surfers and coaches including Katherine Bruhwiler and Team Canada head coach Shannon Brown. Key coaching themes include ocean and wave knowledge (timing, positioning, safety), efficient paddling mechanics, dynamic stance and footwork transitioning from paddle to surf stance, and the idea that the paddle should amplify maneuvers rather than create them. They discuss cutbacks, paddle placement, rail turns versus tail slides, learning from world champions at ISA events, and Collard’s Oso level 1–4 program, camps in Nosara and Tofino, and upcoming coaching trips to El Salvador, Portugal, and the Maldives.