Giant’s Foot Surf Nicaragua was founded in 2004 with the vision of offering a kind of surf vacation experience found nowhere else in Nicaragua. One that makes our guest feel at home, and makes us feel like our guests are more like our friends than our clients while still providing a high level of service. Our team has really made this dream a reality. When you come to stay with us we are your friendly hosts, knowledgeable surf buddies, and hard working staff all rolled into one. Read our individual bios below.

The Giant’s Foot Team

Bryce Kuklok

My name is Bryce, and I studied International Relations and Political Science at UC Davis.  After graduating, I worked for a year on California State political campaigns. I then spent the better part of three years working on various private contracts throughout the middle east, including Kuwait, Jordan, and Iraq. After receiving a thank you note from Iraq for having done quite enough, I left and retired to Nicaragua in mid-2008.  I drifted with my fiancée for a year, trying to decide where we should spend our twilight years and came across Gigante, Nicaragua.  After falling in love with the town, a deep depression set in due to the fact that it already had an awesome surf camp; Giant’s Foot Surf.  When we were on the brink of giving up and moving to less paradise-like environs, the staff of GFS opened their loving arms to us, and welcomed us home. I now spend my days maintaining pipes, maintaining air conditioners, maintaining the roof, maintaining engines, (you probably get the idea by now) and when time permits, surfing.

Elisa Donato

My name is Elisa and I was born and raised in Upstate New York.  I eventually had enough of blizzards, and began accepting jobs in warmer climates.  During my travels, I met Bryce in Baghdad, and he convinced me that it was high time the two of us “retired” and moved to Nicaragua to buy a surf camp.  And why not?  So, we hopped a flight to Managua (via Switzerland) and immediately enrolled in intensive Spanish language courses in San Juan del Sur, while scouring the country for potential opportunities and weeding through real estate scams.  When we found Gigante and Giant’s Foot Surf, we knew our search was over.

Matt Eloso

I’m Matt Eloso, but I prefer to go by Matty the Bear.  During most of the year I am a high school English teacher in California, but for the summer I am a Boat Captain and Handyman at GFS.  I am also CPR and First Aid certified by the American Red Cross. As an English teacher, I sometimes have to pretend to have read and understood all sorts of English literature.  The truth is, booooooring. The only books I have ever actually read, beginning to end, have been Choose Your Own Adventure.  They are great because if you always decide to fight the monster in the first chapter, you die and the book is really short.  Would you like to know the secret to my success as a teacher? Wikipedia.

Matt Leichtfuss

I’m Matthu Jack Leichtfuss, born in 1985 and raised in Southern California. I am the head Surf Guide here at GFS.  I started surfing at the age of 13. I made my first surf trip to Baja, Mexico around the same time and have gone back every year since. After getting my B.S. in Business in 2008, I realized what I want to do with my life. I want to surf and travel the world. So I went to Indonesia for two months, then down to Mexico for a few weeks and came home broke. My higher education allowed me to see that spending lots of money with no income wasn’t going to work out financially in the long run so, I started my career as a surf guide. I’ve worked on the west coast of Panama and in Bali, Indonesia. After my stay on Bali I returned home in time for Christmas and some great winter swell, but now it’s back to warmer climates in Gigante, Nicaragua. See you there!

Nathan “the Cheetah” Kroener

My name is Nathan Kroener and I am from California. I was basically thrown in the ocean at an early age since my dad is a commercial fisherman and surfer. I am normally very active in the ocean whether it is surfing, diving, or paddling. I’ve also been an ocean lifeguard for about five years and a working EMT for about four. I love California but afternoon onshore winds can really put a damper on summer surfing. I graduated from college and still felt I had not done much of anything except graduate from college and so when the opportunity arose to travel to Nicaragua and work as a surf guide, I jumped on it.  I am coming back to GFS this summer for my second season.

Conrad LeHoseur

My name is Conrad, and I come from one of the coldest places in Canada. It is the land of hockey and maple syrup. I decided to migrate south a few years ago because I found it difficult to surf and skateboard when it’s -40 degrees outside (which is actually the exact same temperature in Fahrenheit and Celsius, so no need to specify). I’ve spent the last few years working mostly in surf camps as a guide or instructor in Panama and Costa Rica. Before coming to Gigante I lived and worked in Indonesia as a surf guide for a year and a half.

Todd Hedrick

My name is Todd. I’m a huge fan of surfing, great food, and siestas- especially when they fall in that order! I’ll be working as a chef by night and a boat boy by day. I grew up surfing the chilly waters of Northern California, where I currently make my home. My first job in the restaurant business (at age 16) was peeling potatoes and washing dishes for an ill tempered swiss woman who called me “Dog”.  Luckily my experiences in the restaurant world improved, and now I’m co-owner of a great restaurant that allows me to “pull anchor” every now and then… This year I’ll be “dropping anchor” at GFS for a while to pursue my culinary interests and whip up some delicious, nourishing food for hungry surfers- like me!

Evan Koch

My name is Evan Koch and I’m from Humboldt County located in Northern California.  Humboldt County may be best known for its great logging history, but we also have some fun surf when the swell calms down enough to go out.  I didn’t take surfing serious until high school because of the sharky waters and frozen fingers after each session.  I am currently living in Santa Barbara while waiting to enter a radiology program there. I have been to Playa Gigante once before in my travels through Central America and can’t wait to be back down there to enjoy that warm water and those offshore winds.