WindyCity Kite Sports

Mike and his team are wonderful at teaching kitesurfing in a safe and fun way. We have some great locaitons in the Chicagoland area and they're always ensuring the conditions, safety, and timing is right. I've gone from a beginner to a comfortable and experienced kiter. Thanks Mike!

One of the things I struggled when choosing a school to learn from was a balance between Experienced instructors and learning the local environment, Joel and windy city kiting meet that balance really well, with instructors who've seen the local environment and tailor lesson to learn what to overall expect from kite boarding but also to understand the local environment. Mike was also a great help to choose the right gear for the job, with safety in mind. While at times it felt like I was being pushed in a certain direction with my training, It's overall with the idea of safety and best practices in mind.

Mike took all the necessary time to give me clear and simple instructions. He provided me with great material and I also appreciated a lot the head-set so that we could communicate during my time on water. He is very friendly and he radiates his passion for kitesurfing all around :-)

I had taken lessons previously, so he made sure to assess my level and give me a refresher before beginning. Wolf Lake (Chicago) has gusty, inconsistent wind and I had a hard time feeling confident on the board, but Mati was very encouraging. He takes safety seriously, gives clear instructions, and is a joy to be around. I would definitely recommend taking lessons with him!

Mike's school has top quality gear always in sync with the weather and to accompany you in the next steps of your learning as you get better at kiteboarding. I started during the pandemic as beginner and could quickly become an independent kiteboarder. I really like to be on the list that notifies you when and where the wind will be good for your level. Mike is very focused on safety which is great as the sport can be intimidating at first and the teaching is effective - gradual but also happy to help you leap frog when you show fast progress. The school also organizes special kiteboarding week down south during the cold months which is a great getaway plan to keep enjoying the sport.

Kiteboarding lesson was at Wolfe lake south of Chicago which is great as it has shallow and deep areas based on what you practice, good choice. instructor Matias was extremely patient and took the time to help me manage the transitions which I still don't full master. Matias observed my transitions and was able to show me where my timing was off which help me break through. He provided different activities to help take a break from what was at time frustrating in getting transitions right which make the class very effective.

It's hard to review figuring I didn't recieve this certification notification until over 4 years after my actual certification... I didn't even know there was an online portal beyond the physical card I recieved! It also felt as though this lesson was unecessary and way over priced figuring I was already a comfortable intermediate kiter at the time. So essentially all I was looking for was a certification during this and what I ended up getting was an over $200 repeated overview of what I already knew and was taught with previous instructors as a kiter.

My instructor Matias introduced me to the sport in a safe, patient, and supportive manner. He explained the kite mechanics and how it applies to surfing. Matias is knowledgeable and has a really good teaching approach to make students feel comfortable and learn quickly. Highly recommended and encourage Matias to continue teaching as he makes a very good instructor.

I loved the instructor and his method of teaching, my only concern was my training was delayed by the school and we trained during unfavorable weather and could have had a better experience if my class was prioritized on one of the good days. The instructor Matias was really good and really helped me a lot in understanding the basics. I would give the instructor 5/5 for the effort he put in my understanding of the kite surfing basics. Would highly recommend him anywhere.

He explained the sport of kiteboarding very well in a way I was able to understand it quickly. He was safe thru the whole process and made sure all proper equipment was in use, he made sure I was comfortable with myself on the board before I was able to take flight. I’ll highly recommended this teacher.