GB Surfing has announced the launch of a new U21 Development Squad, designed to strengthen the transition from the junior pathway into GB’s senior Olympic Training Squads.
The squad will include up to eight surfers from across the UK, providing them with access to additional coaching support and financial assistance. This initiative forms part of GB Surfing’s ongoing commitment to building a stronger, more aligned performance pathway in collaboration with the Home Nation Federations.
Positioned as Tier 3 within GB’s performance pathway, athletes will be nominated by their respective Home Nation coach. GB Surfing’s Performance Pathway Lead will assess nominees through attendance at Home Nation training camps, video analysis, and competition performance data, before final selections are made by the GB Surfing selection committee. This process will be ongoing throughout April with selection likely to take place in early May.
Athletes selected for the Development Squad will follow an Individual Athlete Development Plan (IADP), aligned with the structure used in the Olympic training programme. Progress will be reviewed annually to determine continued inclusion in the squad.
Importantly, the Development Squad remains embedded within the Home Nation system, complementing existing national programmes rather than replacing them. The programme will be led by GB’s Performance Pathway Lead, Luke Dillon, with support from GB Surfing’s Head of Performance, Mick Cain.
Selected surfers will benefit from regular contact with coaching staff, both in person and remotely. The programme will include structured check-ins, video analysis sessions using Coach Now, and ongoing development tracking. Athletes will also receive individual and group training opportunities within the UK.
In addition, surfers will be invited to attend domestic training camps led by GB Surfing, alongside world-class guest coaches. Each athlete will also receive a modest financial contribution to support costs such as equipment, travel, or additional coaching.
Talking about the introduction of the Development Squad, GB Surfing’s Head of Performance, Mick Cain said:
“Historically within the sport, we’ve seen athletes struggle to transition from junior to senior level, often due to an early reliance on physical or technical strengths without fully developing decision-making, emotional control, and competitive awareness.
“This Development Squad has been created to work alongside the Home Nations to better prepare athletes for the demands of high-performance environments, not just to succeed at age-group level, but to thrive beyond it.”
The introduction of the Development Squad builds on GB Surfing’s continued investment in the Home Nations. Each Federation will continue to receive up to £10,000 per year to support their performance pathway.
Beyond financial support, GB Surfing will provide ongoing coaching expertise through its Performance Pathway Lead, access to training camps led by the Head of Performance, and targeted coach development opportunities.
This approach places coach development at the centre of the performance system. Rather than standardising coaching styles, the focus is on aligning key principles, shared language, and training relevance across the Home Nations. This aims to address past inconsistencies in coaching approaches, which have contributed to uneven athlete experiences.
The Development Squad Selection Criteria can be found here.