Outside his own surfing career highlights, Michael has been instrumental as head coach for the Billabong Junior Team riders for several years after retiring, Contest Director at several World Champion Tour events in Australia & South Africa. Guest appearances and mentoring talks for Surfing Australia's junior development "High Performance Camps."
Michael has a unique teaching method that has proven to be extremely successful in teaching the basics for "Learn to Surf", with over 20 years experience as a Professional Surfer and several as a Surf Coach. His methodologies and procedures are easy, adaptable and proper to build surfers foundations to either progress or just to do it once.
All coaches at Godfathers of the Ocean Surf School teach Michael's unique hands on approach encouraging, assisting & motivating with a fun, easy & proven method you will be coming back for more.
"What I want for every customer that attends Godfathers of the Ocean Surf School is to achieve the ultimate feeling of riding a wave and learning what it's like to over come their fears. If you have the desire to try, we will have you standing up and riding a wave in no time."
Michael 'Munga' Barry
Gordon Walker
Gordon Walker has been coaching with Godfathers of the Ocean Surf School since September 2007, attaining his Level 1 surf coach certificate.
He began surfing at Newport Beach in Sydney at the age of 9, with 40 years of surfing experience in places around the world, including Hawaii, Indonesia, Fiji and Tahiti.
Helped form Newport Plus Surf Board Riders Club in Sydney, was the President for first 5 years of the club’s existence.
Mentor and friends of 2 x former World Champ, Tom Carroll and brother Nick (surf journalist), and others such as surfboard shaper & designer of the "Thruster", Simon Anderson.
"Coaching has opened up a new chapter in my surfing career. With 'Munga' & Krista’s patience and guidance, I have found a whole new level and passion to my surfing and I intend to continue on to higher coaching levels, with my aim to be a level 4 master coach.
I have found a great deal of personal satisfaction in being able to pass on to my students the skills I have learnt over many years, and to help them to achieve something that they may have considered too difficult, but in essence with the correct techniques is something anyone can do. I love to be proactive in my approach to coaching, and making sure that I am in the water with the students throughout the class to give each person the individual attention they deserve to realize their full potential. I truly consider myself a "Godfather of the Ocean", a philosophy which extends way beyond our surf school, to the heart of ocean stewardship and environmental awareness."
Gordon Walker
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