Last week, the fifth edition of Camp Bela Yen—which translates to “full throttle” in Papiamento—kicked off in Aruba. Organized with the help of our Dream Team riders, Sarah-Quita Offringa and Oda Johanne. The camp welcomed around 40 local kids during two days packed with action and adventure.
The goal? To introduce young participants to the fundamentals of windsurfing and other water-based activities, all while highlighting the importance of protecting the beach environment. Set at the beautiful Fisherman’s Huts in Aruba, the camp made the most of its stunning location, offering windsurfing, kitesurfing, Hobie Cat sailing, and more. Mornings were dedicated to windsurfing sessions, followed by breaks, and afternoons were packed with diverse water sports activities.
Sarah Quita about the opportunity to share her water sports passion with the kids:
“We did Camp Bela Yen, which means full sails or going full speed. We had 20 kids on one day and 20 kids on the next. The initiative was to get as many kids as possible on the water and give them the beach feeling and connect them with any kind of water sport.
We did kiting on the beach with the beginner kites, windsurfing on beginner equipment and we took them on a Hobie Cat ride on the water. For them to get in touch with the beach culture and water was very exciting. At the beginning of the day, they were all beginners, and towards the end, they all managed to go back and forth. And that was really cool to see. I think working with kids is always really fun because the excitement levels are always really high. Sometimes, they’re shy in the beginning, and then towards the end, they’re completely themselves. That’s really fun to watch. So, I think there’s a lot of talent in Aruba, and it would be nice to get a proper structure where more kids can have access to the sport.”
How can kids of different ages and skill levels be effectively included in the same camp group?
Around 40 kids aged between 7 and 13 took part in the camp, guided by five passionate coaches, among them also Sarah-Quita and Oda. With their support, every child, regardless of skill level, discovered something new and had a blast along the way. Those with prior windsurfing experience became inspiring role models for beginners. This peer encouragement proved to be a powerful motivator. Especially for the younger kids who were trying windsurfing for the first time. As a result, by the end of the camp, all the children felt more confident while having loads of fun together.
The kids were using the Starboard Start2, GO and GO Windsurfer boards paired with the Starboard SUP Windsurfing Sails from 1.2 m2. Everyone had a perfect set-up for their size and skills, which made the teaching much easier.
Oda about the importance of showing water sports to the local kids:
“I think this event gave everyone from all kinds of different backgrounds the chance to learn windsurfing. They learned windsurfing, controlled a kite on the beach and sailed the Hobie Cat. So it was from nine in the morning to one in the afternoon, full-on activity. As a result, we got really good feedback. I think the kids and also the parents were very happy. It was cool for them to have a weekend just having fun and getting to know new people and also learning about sailing. It is great to see an eight-year-old person just having a super wide stance with a tiny sail on the big board and almost getting planing because they’re just so light. And we had the perfect gear for them. So it was awesome.
Overall, I think almost 100 kids wanted to join. So hopefully we can do this more. So, everyone that would like to try can try. That was awesome. I think this is a way to grow the sport because people just need to get introduced to it. When people or kids have the opportunity to try something new close to them, it’s easier for them to get into it. Otherwise they would not even see or notice that it’s a sport until they are suddenly on the course or a camp or a clinic. So I think something organized makes it easier for the parents also to discover the sports that the kids can do.”
Photo Credit: SetarNV
