Next Level Watersports was founded in 2016 by Jake Hoefler and Jon Beery. Both met while coaching at one of the leading kiteboarding schools in the world located on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. From its start on Nantucket, Next Level Watersports has grown with locations in Stuart, Fl and Martha’s Vineyard, MA. At its core, Next Level Watersports is about professionalism and fun.
Jake and Jon are both passionate instructors and watermen with years of coaching, kiteboarding, sailing, and surfing experience between them. Through Next Level Watersports, Jake and Jon hope to show the world just how much fun a day on the water can be.
Next Level Watersports is dedicated to teaching people how to kiteboard, wakeboard, ride a hydrofoil, and go out on tubing excursions. Put simply, our goal in every interaction is to share our excitement for these sports while providing the most professional, most personable, and most thorough and safe instruction there is. The result is to transform what would be an ordinary day into an active, exciting, educational experience that keeps you coming back for more.
MEET NEXT LEVEL WATERSPORTS
Jon Beery, Cofounder
Asked when he started on the water Jon says, “My parents used to tie my crib off to the handrails on the inside of their boat so that I was suspended. That way I wouldn’t roll out when the boat heeled over.” Jon grew up in Darien, CT and has spent his whole life on the water. He has raced dinghies and big boats across the country, was captain of his high school and college sailing teams, and has coached juniors and adults in dinghies, big boats, and kiteboarding at premier locations from Puerto Rico to Boston. Jon is a Certified Public Accountant who, after working in professional services in Boston for four years, decided to marry his passion for the water with his career. Next Level Watersports is a dream come true for Jon, and he’s excited to teach you the same sports that make him smile every day!
Jake Hoefler, Cofounder
Jake is a thoroughbred D1 athlete turned avid kiteboarder and coach from Hampstead, NH. Jake remembers his first time kiteboarding with his dad when he was just twelve years old down on the Outer Banks. Cautiously launching the kiteboard, he would get pulled downwind on his board so that his dad would grab him by the back of his harness and pull him upwind to restart. But he kept at it until it clicked. With the gear being much safer and user friendly these days, it is much easier to teach. Jake is an incredible communicator who can break down the concepts behind kiteboarding into simple steps. After playing hockey for and graduating from Northeastern University, he moved to the Outer Banks in North Carolina to pursue his passion. With thousands of hours on the water coaching, Jake cannot wait to get you riding!
Nick Aswad, Pro Coach
Growing up in Burlington, VT, Nick has grown accustomed to leading a life of adventure on the water and in the mountains. After graduating from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 2011 with a degree in Navigation, Nick began to lead the tough life of spending summers in Nantucket, winters in Jackson Hole, and a few months here and there guiding ships on the high seas. Nick was first introduced to kiteboarding while working for Nantucket Community Sailing in 2011. As a sailor, surfer, and snowboarder, he quickly fell in love with the freedom, speed, and big airs of kiteboarding. With his experience as a lifelong sailing instructor, teaching kiteboarding was inevitable. A testament to his skill and patience as an instructor, when Nick met his girlfriend, he taught her to kite and they are now married! His kiting fire is always stoked, and he can't wait to teach you how to kite!
CHRIS KEINER, PRO COACH
Chris grew up in Southern California where he fell in love with the ocean, He later moved to Stuart, Florida where he learned how to sail at the age of 12 and has been competing at a high level, and coaching sailing ever since. This passion for the sport of sailing led him to his school, Jacksonville University, where he is a starting member of the Varsity sailing team, as well as a Mechanical Engineering major. Chris was originally introduced to kiting through a friend and was immediately hooked, he later bought his first set of gear and started to teach himself how to kite by applying the skills and knowledge of the wind and waves he learned from his many years of sailing. With countless hours on a kite Chris has learned the skills necessary to share his passion with others, and is excited to get you riding.
DAVIS FRANKUM, PRO COACH
Davis grew up in Denver, Colorado where he began kitesurfing. He learned to kite in the landlocked states of Kansas and Colorado, and later branched out to the coast of North Carolina in the summers to continue his love for kitesurfing. In his adolescent years his dad brought him out to parks to learn how to fly a kite and ever since then he's been deeply invested in the sport. From the age of 12 Davis fell in love with kitesurfing and has since become an experienced rider. Starting kiting much later than some, Davis is a patient and understanding teacher that is able to break down the fundamentals while still sharing his passion for the sport. As a student at Tulane University, Davis seeks a double major in Management and Finance. As he pursues his academic career he still spends his free time applying his skills and riding as much as possible.
BRAD COOPER, PRO COACH
Grew up in Eagle River, Alaska where my adventure for the outdoors started with fishing and rafting the rivers in the summer, to shredding the mountains either snowboarding or snowmachining. Moved to St.Pete, FL during college which is where I really found my love for the water and discovered kiteboarding. My stoke and passion for kiteboarding grew fast in the lovely flat water spots of St.Pete. This is when I discovered that I wanted to teach others about kiteboarding and pass the stoke onto them. Took a detour though with another calling of serving for the USCG. After 5 years in the USCG, I decided to separate to pursue my passion of kiteboarding. Got PASA certified and have been teaching ever since. Been riding all over from St.Pete,FL, Charleston, SC and my personal favorite the OBX, NC. Mostly into Big Air riding, freestyle and now wing foiling.
JEAN-LUC DEPARDIEU, PRO COACH
Jean-Luc began sailing with the Long Island Sound Junior Sailing Program at age 7 and instantly developed a strong love for the water. His passion expanded to kiteboarding after visiting Nantucket and receiving a lesson from a local on Bass Point at age 11. As a snowboarder and wakeboarder the board skills came quickly, and he knew kiting was something he wanted to keep in his life after his first ride. Currently, Jean-Luc is a student and sailor at Brown University. He motivates his friends to get out on the water, teaching them to wakeboard and foil. Any time a student gets up behind the boat for the first time, Luc is as stoked as they are! At his home yacht club, Jean-Luc was a favorite junior instructor among the younger sailors, making sure everyone had fun everyday. He looks forward to seeing more ear-to-ear grins on his students this summer!
JAKKI WAGONER, BOOKING MANAGER
Jakki has always been in love with the water. Growing up her parents would call her a fish because she never wanted to leave the water. In college, she worked as a lifeguard manager and swim instructor. After graduating from Appalachian State, Jakki moved to DC and worked in a corporate job for 5 years. While traveling for work, she decided to take a kite lesson and has been kiting since then! Once she purchased her first kite quiver, she knew that she wanted to pursue her passion. She lived for over a year in Saint Kitts where she kited and started her own swim company. Since then, she has kited around the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Belize and multiple locations across the United States. On a windy day, you can always find Jakki at the beach where she works remotely and, on her lunch breaks, you will see her kiting away! Jakki helps as Next Level Watersports' incredible office manager coordinating for our instructors and our clients each and every day.
RICHARD KNIGHT, EXECUTIVE BOARD
Richard has spent the past 28+ years on Wall Street but would rather be kiteboarding. He took up the sport in 2014, taking lessons from both Jon and Jake and qualified as an IKO level 1 instructor in 2016. Richard helped Jon and Jake start Next Level Watersports and enjoys advising the team on business matters over a couple of Whale’s Tale Pale Ales.
Join Our Team
We are not your average Kiteboarding and Watersports school.
So, we are not seeking your average kiteboarding instructor. Eligible candidates will be seasoned, personable kiteboarding instructors, have experience working with premium clientele, handling boats & watercraft, and must be talented, passionate kiteboarders and surfers. We are seeking team members looking to be a part of a growing company, take a leadership role, and who never turn down a fun day on the water!
