Surfing to me is all about actually surfing, not about getting the best wave in a crowd, or getting the best picture from the beach. It is about the feeling, the distraction, the peace and living in the moment.
I wonder how many people get caught up in the pressure of the line-up, the attraction of a crowd and having to have this year's colours on their backs? I guess quite a few. The pressure to look cool and succeed is immense.
Right now growing up and surfing must be tough. At my local break I know a few kids that surf really well, some that have been touted as future world tour material (mainly by parents). It is about these parents that I wish to talk.
As I have said' whilst I appreciate watching WSL events and the standard of surfing, I also appreciate what the competitors achieve under pressure, and how much they train and sacrifice to earn a living via entertaining us and pleasing their sponsors. I also understand that they get there 'stoke' from winning.
I understand that they are willing to sacrifice everything to win. To get you in the head-space of these young lads I have found a short video of Kanoa Igarashi and Leo Fioravanti who both ride for Quiksilver.
Kanoa has just qualified for the Men's Championship Tour which starts in a couple of weeks so congrats to him. More of what he loves… maybe. (Winning and travelling)
Let me give you an example of something that I experienced recently that I believe to be relevant and also might help you to appreciate these child/athletes a bit more...
I was in the water around sundown about a week ago, it was a winter's day but beautiful, groomed, off-shore and only a few people out. I had been in the water for a couple of hours and the sun was starting to dip towards the horizon. Time to get out.
There was a father and son surfing on the next peak, I had seen them talking and dad pushing his son into waves, the kid was trying to do an air. In my experience it's best to give these guys a wide berth and some space. As I stood up on my final wave in I surfed near them enough to hear the end of the conversation.
“But dad, I am cold and I want to go in!”
“You can go in when you land the reverse!!! Now... one more time, lets go.”
That's when it struck me that for these kids, growing up, just how much they have sacrificed to get where they are. I felt very sorry for the freezing cold boy, a little bit angry at the dad and quite sad at what hundreds of children are probably having stripped from them in the same way. The joy of just surfing and having fun because I reckon once that has gone it is probably very hard to get back.
I don't quite pity these guys because they are living their dream and doing what they want to do.
Just as long as it is their dream.
Surf Lessons