MOSSEL BAY SURFING NEWS - Mossel Bay local Llewellyn Whittaker has scooped the prestigious position of German surfing team head coach.
Whittaker told the Mossel Bay Advertiser: "With surfing being an Olympic sport, the German government has funded the team, with the number one goal being the team's qualification for the Olympic Games."
Explaining how his appointment to the position came about, Whittaker said: "I had been working with two surfers since 2018 and they represent the German Surfing Federation. We had great results. They took part in the South African leg of the World Surf League Tour. They are German surfers, they have German passports, but live all over the world."
When he landed his prestigious new position in November last year Whittaker convened with the German Surfing Federation to plan for 2020 and put the training programme together.
The training programme has been scuppered by the Covid-19 lockdowns worldwide. "I would have been in El Salvador for the World Surfing Championships, but this could not happen because of the lockdowns," Whittaker said.
Travel the world
What the German team usually does is travel the world, competing in top surfing competitions where the weather is warm. This is how the team members get their practice.
Whittaker is a former professional surfer. "In 2008 I finished with the World Surfing League Tour. I have been coaching since then."
He said the prestigious job as German team coach had "been a long time coming". He had worked extremely hard, coaching in South Africa over the years since 2008. "This job is a big break financially and career-wise."
And with the primary goal being to qualify for the Olympics, Whittaker's work is certainly cut out for him.
He said: "We use the World Surfing League Tour to train our guys. We do legs. In February we did the Australian leg."
Whittacker has a colleague helping him, who is a sports psychologist and trainer. The coaching staff have breaks between the surfing competitions, when they are able to go home for about three weeks and spend time with their families.
Whittaker said: "Thank you to the parents who have supported me. Their children whom I coached are part of the World Surfing Tour. For example, two guys I coached were Adin Masencamp of Strand, who finished in the top 50 of the World Qualifying Series, and Matt McGillivray from Jeffrey's Bay, who is part of the World Surf League Championship Tour."
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