"The day I decided to quit surfing… it just popped in my head like, 'Huh, nobody just quits surfing. Like if I did, what would happen? Who would I be?'"

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we ponder the question of ‘who would we be without surfing’ with our guest for this episode. Jason Borte is one of the true pillars of East Coast surfing — a competitor, storyteller, teacher, and lifelong ambassador of the stoke. Hailing from Virginia Beach, Jason's journey began with a humbling first session in 1982 and took him all the way to ESA All-Star and ASP East Pro Champion. A Master's-level educator, surf school founder, Hall of Famer, and author of multiple books including Pipe Dreams, Virginia Is for Surfers, and his upcoming memoir How Surfing Ruined My Life, Jason now serves as Director of Surf Coaching at Atlantic Park — home to North America's first Wavegarden Cove surf lagoon — where he continues shaping the future of the sport through coaching, community programs, and youth initiatives.

We dig into his transition from 15 years in the classroom to the surf world, new competitive formats at Atlantic Park like the man-on-man "Chlorine Clash," and inclusive youth programs bringing swimming and surfing to underserved kids through partnerships with Pharrell and Adidas. Plus, Jason shares the story behind his books and what led him to step away from the ocean for an entire year.

Follow Jason on Instagram @jborte & @howsurfingruinedmylifeAnd you can order his books here: Diangelo Publications

The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network.

For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com

Huge Shoutout to Trey Highton for the connection!

Music:
Artist: The Mountain Goats
Song: This Year
Album: The Sunset Tree

00:00 Guest Introduction
04:05 Kelly Slater Mixup
05:34 Leaving Teaching Behind
06:36 Maker Space Class
12:28 Surf Projects Surprise
13:49 Surf Camp Curriculum
17:07 Atlantic Park Origins
18:13 Typhoon Lagoon Break
22:16 First Wave Moment
24:59 Director Role Daily
26:49 Tom Curren Visit
31:27 Wave Pool Impacts
36:03 New Contest Formats
42:10 Community Access Programs
45:42 Wave Pools With Purpose
46:28 Ebony Beach Club Groms
48:03 Mentorship In The Lineup
49:08 First Surf In 1982
51:29 Virginia Beach Pecking Order
54:39 Early Contests And Drive
58:06 Parents Backing The Dream
01:00:52 Facing Kelly And Going Pro
01:03:23 OP Sponsorship And Rivalries
01:05:26 Bud Tour No Priority Chaos
01:12:26 Wes Laine East Coast Icon
01:16:59 From Pro To Surf Writer
01:21:33 Learning Under Steve Hawk
01:25:55 Writing Pipe Dreams
01:29:56 Research And Kelly Access
01:34:28 Slater Self Awareness
01:35:34 Rivalry And Book Sequel
01:37:33 Kelly Reviews The Manuscript
01:39:35 Press Tour And Career Choices
01:43:04 Self Publishing Kooks Guide
01:45:36 Virginia Is For Surfers
01:51:04 What The Community Revealed
01:57:05 Quitting Surfing For A Year
02:03:33 Withdrawal Compulsion And Perspective
02:08:40 Book Deal And Wrap Up

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