During the 2022-2023 school year, Oak Park High School freshman Trey Williams petitioned to the main office to create a surf team at OPHS. In spite of support from the school, there was not enough interest or surfing ability at OPHS to start a surf team.

Now in the 2024-2025 school year, Williams came back as a junior and founded the OPHS Swellness Surf Club. 

“The reason I started the Swellness club at Oak Park was because I’ve always had a huge passion for surfing,” Williams said. “I wanted to help other people progress and get the same joy out of the sport as I do.”

Swellness Club is about more than just surfing. Mental health is an important aspect of club meetings and surf days. According to Healthline, surfing can improve self-esteem, confidence, anxiety and depression.

“The most important part of our club is raising awareness for mental health,” Williams said. “We are going to have many different speakers scheduled for talking at our club meetings, this includes programs like Walk on Water and the Sarah Schultz Foundation.”

In addition, plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution and around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year according to UNESCO Ocean Literacy. Much of this waste ends up washing onto the shore. To combat this, the Swellness Club has monthly beach cleanups.

“Our beach cleanups are a big part of what attracts our non-surfing club members,” social media manager Mason Lewis said. “They are a vital part of our club as we are committed to keeping our beaches clean.”

For those who are interested in learning how to surf, private lesson sign ups are available at club meetings. 

“We offer private lessons which are great ways to get involved with surfing if you have an interest but you haven’t been surfing before,” Williams said. “I have a lot of fun teaching them and people have a lot of fun learning to surf.”

You can sign up for Swellness Club anytime by contacting Trey via email at [email protected] or by attending any meetings. Meetings are held on Thursdays or Fridays every week, depending on which day is an odd day.

“We wanted to create a club that attracts surfers and non-surfers, a place to see how surfing is more than just a sport,” cofounder Miles Hagan said. “It’s a lifestyle that provides mental clarity and relaxation. Most importantly we want to be able to have a lasting impact on the health of our beaches and the mental health of our members.”