All Article Properties:
{
"access_control": false,
"status": "publish",
"objectType": "Article",
"id": "1086893",
"signature": "Article:1086893",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-11-03-riding-a-wave-surfing-spreads-delight-and-creates-awareness-of-those-with-special-needs/",
"shorturl": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/1086893",
"slug": "riding-a-wave-surfing-spreads-delight-and-creates-awareness-of-those-with-special-needs",
"contentType": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Article",
"slug": "article"
},
"views": 0,
"comments": 0,
"preview_limit": null,
"excludedFromGoogleSearchEngine": 0,
"title": "Riding a wave: Surfing spreads delight and creates awareness of those with special needs",
"firstPublished": "2021-11-03 20:02:23",
"lastUpdate": "2021-11-03 20:02:23",
"categories": [
{
"id": "29",
"name": "South Africa",
"signature": "Category:29",
"slug": "south-africa",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/south-africa/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "Daily Maverick is an independent online news publication and weekly print newspaper in South Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is known for breaking some of the defining stories of South Africa in the past decade, including the Marikana Massacre, in which the South African Police Service killed 34 miners in August 2012.\r\n\r\nIt also investigated the Gupta Leaks, which won the 2019 Global Shining Light Award.\r\n\r\nThat investigation was credited with exposing the Indian-born Gupta family and former President Jacob Zuma for their role in the systemic political corruption referred to as state capture.\r\n\r\nIn 2018, co-founder and editor-in-chief Branislav ‘Branko’ Brkic was awarded the country’s prestigious Nat Nakasa Award, recognised for initiating the investigative collaboration after receiving the hard drive that included the email tranche.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, co-founder and CEO Styli Charalambous also received the award.\r\n\r\nDaily Maverick covers the latest political and news developments in South Africa with breaking news updates, analysis, opinions and more.",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
}
],
"content_length": 2313,
"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was three years ago that Yani Trout, a surf instructor for Nexgen Surf School, was approached by his friend Yolanda Peterson who was affiliated with the Shumeez Scott Foundation. The foundation works with children and young adults who have autism and Down syndrome. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peterson asked Trout to partner with the foundation in hosting a beach day where the instructor would teach the children to surf. From this discussion, the Nexgen Surf for Down syndrome and special needs people event was born. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082760 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-2-e1635957919947.jpg\" alt=\"surfing\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" /> Yani Trout, whose day job is a surf instructor and who has been involved in organising this event for the past three years, gives some encouragement to a girl before she braves the waves. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This past weekend, the foundation, based in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, brought parents and their children to Muizenberg for this year’s surf day.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082762 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-3-e1635958081299.jpg\" alt=\"surfing shumeez\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /> Shumeez Scott stands up on her surfboard for the first time, to applause from onlookers. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foundation secretary Nardia Hercules, who was attending her second surfing event, said the stigma attached to special needs people was very real. She said she wanted to encourage those with special needs to come out and not stay at home, adding that events like this created awareness in society. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Seeing so many happy, excited people has made me decide to try surfing next year. If they can do it, then so can I,” she said with a smile. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082763\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-4.jpg\" alt=\"surfing\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" /> The surfers and their coaches get instructions from Yani Trout before they enter the sea, some for the first time. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082764\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-5-e1635958356216.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /> Children and adults with Down syndrome and autism warm up before heading into the surf with their coaches at Muizenberg beach in Cape Town. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082765 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-6-e1635958502115.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /> Siyasanga Mathanjana gets encouragement and help from surfing volunteers to overcome her fear of the waves at Muizenberg beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082766 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-7-e1635958581171.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"390\" /> Esmerelda Harmse, who is autistic, shows onlookers how to ride a wave and have plenty of fun. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082767 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-8-e1635958633186.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"424\" /> Laughs and pure excitement from Mishqa Dreyer and the women from the Shumeez Scott Foundation as she braves the waves at Muizenberg corner. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1082768 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-9-e1635958678267.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"456\" /> There was no stopping a delighted Enrique Baatjies as he rode wave after wave right on to the beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<b>DM</b>",
"teaser": "Riding a wave: Surfing spreads delight and creates awareness of those with special needs",
"externalUrl": "",
"sponsor": null,
"authors": [
{
"id": "54749",
"name": "Brenton Geach",
"image": "",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/author/brenton-geach/",
"editorialName": "brenton-geach",
"department": "",
"name_latin": ""
}
],
"description": "",
"keywords": [
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "167349",
"name": "Down syndrome",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/down-syndrome/",
"slug": "down-syndrome",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Down syndrome",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "351001",
"name": "special needs",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/special-needs/",
"slug": "special-needs",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "special needs",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "361329",
"name": "Nexgen Surf School",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/nexgen-surf-school/",
"slug": "nexgen-surf-school",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Nexgen Surf School",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "361330",
"name": "Shumeez Scott Foundation",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/shumeez-scott-foundation/",
"slug": "shumeez-scott-foundation",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Shumeez Scott Foundation",
"translations": null
}
}
],
"short_summary": null,
"source": null,
"related": [],
"options": [],
"attachments": [
{
"id": "18225",
"name": "There was no stopping a delighted Enrique Baatjies as he rode wave after wave right on to the beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was three years ago that Yani Trout, a surf instructor for Nexgen Surf School, was approached by his friend Yolanda Peterson who was affiliated with the Shumeez Scott Foundation. The foundation works with children and young adults who have autism and Down syndrome. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peterson asked Trout to partner with the foundation in hosting a beach day where the instructor would teach the children to surf. From this discussion, the Nexgen Surf for Down syndrome and special needs people event was born. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082760\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082760 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-2-e1635957919947.jpg\" alt=\"surfing\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" /> Yani Trout, whose day job is a surf instructor and who has been involved in organising this event for the past three years, gives some encouragement to a girl before she braves the waves. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This past weekend, the foundation, based in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, brought parents and their children to Muizenberg for this year’s surf day.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082762\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082762 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-3-e1635958081299.jpg\" alt=\"surfing shumeez\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /> Shumeez Scott stands up on her surfboard for the first time, to applause from onlookers. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foundation secretary Nardia Hercules, who was attending her second surfing event, said the stigma attached to special needs people was very real. She said she wanted to encourage those with special needs to come out and not stay at home, adding that events like this created awareness in society. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Seeing so many happy, excited people has made me decide to try surfing next year. If they can do it, then so can I,” she said with a smile. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082763\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082763\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-4.jpg\" alt=\"surfing\" width=\"720\" height=\"411\" /> The surfers and their coaches get instructions from Yani Trout before they enter the sea, some for the first time. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082764\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082764\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-5-e1635958356216.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /> Children and adults with Down syndrome and autism warm up before heading into the surf with their coaches at Muizenberg beach in Cape Town. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082765\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082765 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-6-e1635958502115.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /> Siyasanga Mathanjana gets encouragement and help from surfing volunteers to overcome her fear of the waves at Muizenberg beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082766\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082766 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-7-e1635958581171.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"390\" /> Esmerelda Harmse, who is autistic, shows onlookers how to ride a wave and have plenty of fun. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082767\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082767 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-8-e1635958633186.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"424\" /> Laughs and pure excitement from Mishqa Dreyer and the women from the Shumeez Scott Foundation as she braves the waves at Muizenberg corner. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1082768\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1082768 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-9-e1635958678267.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"456\" /> There was no stopping a delighted Enrique Baatjies as he rode wave after wave right on to the beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n<b>DM</b>",
"focal": "50% 50%",
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg",
"transforms": [
{
"x": "200",
"y": "100",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/-SIX5mttschSESjIAL_iAnOoSTI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg"
},
{
"x": "450",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/EPz4HLKU55g_WmcYOthHsddxZcU=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg"
},
{
"x": "800",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/-NqukKckM9QPUg9snZmwBqqgmJg=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1200",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/D0DOi2Y03F0pncNJGfyRkoingEA=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1600",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/UoZR0hQpvYTU_rAe1IXLQctgG70=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg"
}
],
"url_thumbnail": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/-SIX5mttschSESjIAL_iAnOoSTI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg",
"url_medium": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/EPz4HLKU55g_WmcYOthHsddxZcU=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg",
"url_large": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/-NqukKckM9QPUg9snZmwBqqgmJg=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg",
"url_xl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/D0DOi2Y03F0pncNJGfyRkoingEA=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg",
"url_xxl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/UoZR0hQpvYTU_rAe1IXLQctgG70=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/brenton-downsurf-1.jpg",
"type": "image"
}
],
"summary": "A meeting between friends three years ago has resulted in an event that makes it possible for people with Down syndrome and special needs to experience the joys of surfing.",
"template_type": null,
"dm_custom_section_label": null,
"elements": [],
"seo": {
"search_title": "Riding a wave: Surfing spreads delight and creates awareness of those with special needs",
"search_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was three years ago that Yani Trout, a surf instructor for Nexgen Surf School, was approached by his friend Yolanda Peterson who was affiliated with the Shumeez Scot",
"social_title": "Riding a wave: Surfing spreads delight and creates awareness of those with special needs",
"social_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was three years ago that Yani Trout, a surf instructor for Nexgen Surf School, was approached by his friend Yolanda Peterson who was affiliated with the Shumeez Scot",
"social_image": ""
},
"cached": true,
"access_allowed": true
} 
Yani Trout, whose day job is a surf instructor and who has been involved in organising this event for the past three years, gives some encouragement to a girl before she braves the waves. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
Shumeez Scott stands up on her surfboard for the first time, to applause from onlookers. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
The surfers and their coaches get instructions from Yani Trout before they enter the sea, some for the first time. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
Children and adults with Down syndrome and autism warm up before heading into the surf with their coaches at Muizenberg beach in Cape Town. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
Siyasanga Mathanjana gets encouragement and help from surfing volunteers to overcome her fear of the waves at Muizenberg beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
Esmerelda Harmse, who is autistic, shows onlookers how to ride a wave and have plenty of fun. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
Laughs and pure excitement from Mishqa Dreyer and the women from the Shumeez Scott Foundation as she braves the waves at Muizenberg corner. (Photo: Brenton Geach)
There was no stopping a delighted Enrique Baatjies as he rode wave after wave right on to the beach. (Photo: Brenton Geach)