About Cindy Hayward::

• Age: 35
• Where I live: San Francisco, California
• Where I'm from: Seal/Huntington Beach area

Sport Interests: Surfing, yoga, pilates, hiking

How did you get into surfing? 
I tried surfing when I was younger and didn't stay with it. I wanted to get back into it, so five years ago I got in touch with Richard Schmidt to help get me back in the water.  He is such a great guy, very kind, focused, motivating, and inspiring.  He doesn't make you feel dumb at all.  I just made the leap from long to short boarding while in Costa Rica with the help of him and it's amazing how much I improved just by listening to his advice and watching myself on video.

Athletic achievements: I did the Women on Waves contest in Capitola a couple years ago and came in 4th or 5th in my division and that put me into the paddle contest somehow... I came in 2nd in the paddle contest, which was very exciting... I may be skinny but I am strong!

Athletic goals: To focus on my confidence and believe in myself and I can do just about anything

Inspiration: My parents... never were never the type who pushed you, but they were someone you wanted to make proud.

Philosophy: Life is short--I learned that when my parents passed away--and so it's important to focus on being healthy and on yoru family.

Favorite spot to do my sport: Capitola

Favorite Girls4Sport wear: Zippered hoodie

What I do when I’m not in the water: Watch the waves. I live across from the beach and work in a surf shop. I also study.

My job/education: I went to a few different colleges as I changed my major a few times... San Diego State, Cal Poly SLO, San Francisco State... I went from thinking I wanted to be a doctor to marine biology to graphic arts.  After high school and during college I worked at Wells Fargo Bank and worked my way up the ladder but later decided it was boring, plus I really wasn't interested in my major, so I went to massage school and have been doing massage since 1997.  Doing massage has allowed me to travel to France, Hawaii and Costa Rica for work.  I have also worked in the restaurant business part time for a bunch of years; it's amazing money here in San Francisco and one of the only jobs with so much flexibility to travel. I have traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and Central/Southern California to surf.   I don't think that I was ready to surf the type of waves that Indonesia had to offer when I was there, but it was a great experience and I learned quite a bit about channeling my fear in a more positive way and believing in myself. I work for Richard Schmidt in Santa Cruz over the summer and in Costa Rica in the winter doing massage and general help at the camps.  

Interesting/unusual facts about me: It's more important to me to have the freedom to travel and do the things I want to do rather than have a house full of nice things and electronic gadgets I never use. I would much rather spend my time learning about new things in new places and meeting new people to surf with!  Everyone seems to thinks it's funny that I have so many jobs (which it is)... I do massage at Surf Camp, I work at a restaurant, I have my real estate license (want to buy a house?), and I am very stoked to be the Northern California Sales Rep. for Girls4Sport!

Richard Schmidt Surf School