Pro Surfer Kayla Durden and Super Girl Surf Festival Founder Rick Bratman Discuss Empowering Women 

Super Girl Surf Festival is the world's largest women's sports and music festival. This Labor Day (Sept. 5-7, 2026), the free festival is coming to the iconic and expansive Virginia Beach, VA shoreline for the first time. Kayla Durden, a former professional surfer (she still tackles serious waves around the world), now Manager of the World Surf League's Championship Tour, is once more teaming up with Rick Bratman, a self-professed "girl dad" and seasoned live events impresario (ASA Entertainment), for the latest edition of the Super Girl Surf Festival, with this year serving as the festival's 20th anniversary. Previous editions took place in Jacksonville, FL and Oceanside, CA, the historic flagship home of the event since 2007. (The festival's next edition takes place in Jacksonville Beach, FL from November 7 to November 8, 2026.)On this episode of the Good Standing podcast, Kayla discusses her journey, from catching waves at 5-years-old on Cocoa Beach, FL, going pro at 12, to now mentoring female surfers of all ages around the world while functioning as one of the sport's premiere ambassadors. Rick, a veteran guru of live action sports events, went to bat decades ago for his daughter who was navigating the double standards and politics of high school sports. He has since parlayed and extended that enthusiasm and advocacy to millions of young girls and female professionals around the world. Super Girl Festival will host surfing competitions overseen by the World Surf League and feature more than 150 professional surfers, including in a World Surf League QS4000 event, the highest-level women’s surfing competition in North America. Beach volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, and flag football will feature tournament-style competitions with youth divisions, while competitive cheer and dance will take the stage as showcases. Mentorship opportunities extend across the wider experience, along with food vendors, panel discussions, and so much more. Live music is also a staple of the event, with several free, live performances scheduled (Switchfoot, Lupe Fiasco, Hello Sister, Gym Class Heroes and an extended roster of local and major artists). In a world filled with a lot of talk, Kayla Durden and Rick Bratman share a love of action, all infused with a major impact through-line. Much like the team at Good Standing, they also know how to have fun in the process.