Susan Boensch decided to take surfing more seriously after moving from Chicago to the West Coast with her husband and two of their children. They had all been “holiday surfers” for years, and Susan was now finally living close to the ocean.
She practiced every day for 20 minutes and took surfing lessons as a refresher. But Susan saw the most significant improvement once she started practicing with women who were way better than her at the sport. Initially intimidated, she ended up realizing learning and receiving feedback from good surfers was the shortest path to success.
“I just swallowed my pride and said, these girls are good,” she told host Amy Boyle in the latest episode of the Speaking of Phenomenal podcast. “They've surfed for years. They're California girls. I'm going to paddle out with them and watch what they do and sit with them. And they really took me under their wing.”
Susan, who was originally portrayed in the 52 Phenomenal Women project, is currently the director of the LA chapter of Wahine Kai, a surf club for women passionate about the sport.
A practicing minimalist who is also an “enthusiastic experience maximalist,” Susan has been always optimistic about balancing her passions and obligations. “No matter where you are in every phase of your life, and believe me, I've been there with young children, with teenagers that don't want to go with you and do what you do, you could always find some kind of balance where you find the things that they love to do and that you love to do and try and make it work together,” she told Amy.
This mindset led her to support “Surf Mamas” at Wahine Kai, where mothers with young children take shifts surfing while other surfing moms watch their children in the sand. “Everyone gets a chance to surf.”
Tell us: is there anything stopping you from doing something that is important to you? Maybe shyness and fear of what experienced people will think? Maybe life circumstances that seem to be less than ideal?
Find Susan on Instagram
Wahine Kai surf club: https://www.wahinekai.org/
Carolina Baldin is a freelance journalist from Brazil. Having worked in law, policy and regulation, she is passionate about everyday stories that illustrate larger issues. She graduated from a master's program at Northwestern University in 2023 and became a guest blogger on the "Speaking of Phenomenal" podcast blog in March 2024.