Instructor Bio's

Captain Jeff Hoxtell - Head Instructor

Captain Jeff Hoxtell
  • Age: 34
  • Certification: PASA Level 3 and IKO Level 2
  • Origin: South Dakota
  • Resides: South Padre Island
  • Background: Monohull, Hobie-Cat and Small Yacht Racing, Windsurfing
  • Languages: English, Spanish (mas o menos)

Jeff starting sailing when he was 6 years old and then windsurfing at 10. As a youngster he competed each summer in monohull racing and crewed in yacht races. Later in 1999 living in Corpus Christi, TX he saw his old friend Olaf Johannsen kiteboarding in the surf and knew then this was his next wind sport. After learning to kite he sold his business and moved to South Padre Island.

Capt'n Jeff teaches more people every year than anyone else on the island. Each year his schedual gets tighter as his happy students go home and tell their friends and family about the kiting experence he provides. He is currently focusing on advanced flat water and wave riding lessons. He is one of the biggest babies when it comes to being cold. Probably the only person on the island to own a dry suit. What a baby!

Captain Scott Rogers

Captain Scott Rogers
  • Age: ...old enough to know better.
  • Certification: PASA
  • Origin: Born in Oregon. Webbed feet, good for water sports.
  • Resides: Rio Grande Valley, Deep South Texas "It's like a whole other country."

Background: When Scott was a younger man he set out for adventures in far away lands including Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Nepal, UAE, Germany, France, Hungary, Belgium, and United Kingdom. He went rap jumping, cave rafting, scuba diving, hitch hiking, glacier climbing, among other things in NZ. He drove Australia coast to coast in a car and learned to surf, drink beer, and scuba dive the great barrier reef. He experienced the exotic wonders of the Indonesian islands of Bali, Lombok, Surabaya, Sumbawa, Kimodo, Sulawesi, Java, Flores, and Timor. He also travelled the Malaysian Penninsula into Thailand with stops along the way including the island of Ko-Pa-Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand to experience one of the fabled "full moon parties". More adventures awaited Scott in Burma where he was actually acosted by a band of travelling transvestites entertaining the inhabitants of a small town in the middle of the country where travel by foreigners was discouraged by the government at the time. Ask him about it sometime, 100% true story. Many and varied interests including all the usual outdoor activities: hunting, fishing, scuba diving, boating, water skiing, snow skiing, surfing, wind surfing, hiking, biking, mowing the lawn, and of course kiteboarding. Other interests include raising two children, keeping the wife of 15 years happy, and enjoying life as much as possible, with permission from the boss.

Languages: English, Spanish (mas o menos)

Erik "Pro" Stone

Erik 'Pro' Stone
  • Age: 25
  • Certification: PASA Level 3 and IKO Level 2
  • Origin: Mpls, MN
  • Resides:
  • Background:
  • Languages: English

Erik has taught kiteboarding for more than 2,000 hours to more than 400 people. Erik is certified as a kiteboarding coach and instructor from three different certifying, teaching entities, IKO(International Kiteboarding Organization), PASA(Professional Air Sport Association), and REAL(Real Kiteboarding).

Ben "jammin" Woodcock

Ben 'jammin' Woodcock
  • Age: 30
  • Certification: IKO Instructor Level 1
  • Origin: Utah
  • Resides: SPI, Jackson Hole, and Hood River
  • Background: Backcountry Snowmobile Guide, expert snowboarder, Mountaineering
  • Languages: English

Will Gross

Will Gross
  • Age: 19
  • Nickname: Sherpa
  • Certification: KSA - Kite Schleppers Assoc. of Indo-China-Burma
  • Origin: Dallas, TX
  • Resides: SPI, Dallas, Savannah
  • Strengths: Snowboarding, Surfing, Wakeboarding, Harmonica
  • Weaknesses: Sweeping the shop
  • Languages: English

Bryan Cannon

Bryan Cannon
  • Age: 35
  • Certification: IKO Instructor Level 1
  • Origin: Colorado
  • Resides: SPI and Roatan, Honduras
  • Background: Expert Whitewater Kayaker / Guide, Waterski/wakeboarding, snowboarding/ telemark skiing
  • Currently: Opening Kiteboarding school in Roatan, Honduras
  • Languages: English

TJ "Don't Touch My Board!" Gulizia

TJ 'Don't Touch My Board!' Gulizia
  • Age: 30
  • Certification: PASA
  • Origin: Mommy
  • Resides: Hood River, OR
  • Background: Expert whitewater kayaking/guide (ACA Certified whitewater instructor since 1994), snowboarding
  • Languages: English, Spanish, Aramaic

T.J.'s passion for wind & water began when he moved to the Columbia River Gorge in 2001. Having instructed white water kayaking for 7 years in Colorado, his focus soon changed when he first witnessed kiteboarding the Hood River, Oregon in 2002. "I got a job w/ a kiteboarding company that year, and 2 years later obtained my PASA certification. I love teaching, and kiteboarding truly pays off when you share the stoke in your student's experience." Currently teaching on South Padre Island in the Fall/Spring, La Ventana Baja, Mexico in the winter, and the Gorge in the Summer, T.J.'s love for teaching fuels his passion for kiteboarding.

Teran Hughes

Teran Hughes
  • Age:
  • Certification: PASA
  • Origin: Minneapolis, MN
  • Resides: South Padre Island
  • Background: Expert Windsurfer / Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer
  • Languages: English

Teran owns Island Fitness right across the street from Air Padre Kiteboarding. He has been teaching kiteboarding and windsurfing for years. If you get a chance to see him ride you'll know why he's on the team. As one of the best riders on the island, his smooth style is inspiring.

"Super" Rob Kniech

Teran Hughes
  • Age: 39 and staying
    Origins: Lambeau Field
    Background: Classified
    Languages: Tex-Mex, Canuck

Super Rob has been riding since the beginning. He is retro-core all the way. He rides a pulley bar, not the kind you get with a bow kite. We are talking the old school flavor. Anyone who has tried a classic pulley bar can understand the difficulty involved with no chicken loop. If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Rob or seeing him ride you'll understand why has is on the team.