Words by Jacob M. Tellkamp
When I was in my formidable grommet years, there was nothing I wanted more then to compete against the best kids my age and see how I fared against them. However, unlike most of my competition, my parents were unaware on what contests I should do and how to best prepare myself mentally and physically for them. Here’s what I’ve learned in 14 years of competing in surf contests.
Great First Contest: Fulcrum Expression Session
There is a tier system amongst the amateur surf contest and being unaware of it will see that your Grom is thrown into the viper pit far before he or she is ready. In order to make sure that egos aren’t bruised, and that the thrill of competition isn’t prematurely stifled, make sure to pick contests within their ability level. A great first contest series is the “Expression Sessions” that Fulcrum puts on throughout the year. At every event there is guaranteed to be great prizes, a relaxed atmosphere, and a focus on fun. These contests feature an hour-long heat in which competitors are judged on their performance as a whole, not on the best two waves traditionally found in events. Because of this expression session style format, the kids have the ability to compete without feeling tremendous amounts of pressure, allowing them to sample the positive side of surf competition without suffering a loss in the first round. ISPE surfer, Cody Cohen, recently took out Shane Cox to take the win in the “Catch Surf Classic” in Del Mar. Cody’s win boosted his confidence and made him hungry for further success.
To me, this is the true value of competing in surfing, a win makes you want to work harder in order to achieve higher goals, and a loss shows what part of your game needs more work.
Summer Time Fun: WSA Menehune Surf Fest
Now that your youngster has gotten his or her feet wet in the competition side of surfing, now it’s time to don a jersey and try their hand at catching two excellent waves in fifteen minutes. The next contest I would recommend would be the Western Surfing Association’s “Menehune Surf Fest” held at Golden West Street in Huntington Beach in July. This contest is on the novice side of the spectrum as for most competitors it’s their first debut. The WSA is the longest running amateur surf circuit in California and they understand that kids want to surf against their peers, but don’t want to commit to paying for a full year of competition. So, they offer a sampler every summer for kids to see if they would like to join the ranks. This contest is far from serious and is a great time for the whole family.
Let The Kids Ride Free: A Mantra Fulcrum Can Get Behind
Surf contests can be an expensive affair, especially when you begin to travel up and down the California coast in search for points to qualify for season championships. A great contest series that has no entry fees is the “Volcom Totally Crustaceous Tour.” This contest is more like a beach party, with catered lunches, baking powder fights, and tons of product giveaways. While these contest tend to attract a higher pedigree of surfer, there is carefree nature that surrounds the event that fosters the youth towards progression. Because the contest’s roots are deep seeded in a mentality that is purely fun and are offered from San Diego to Santa Cruz, they are an excellent platform to learn the ropes of competition.
The Big Leagues: NSSA and WSA
At this point, if an aspiring competitor has shown promise in the entry-level events, they might just be ready to try and rub shoulders with the best under 18’s in California in the NSSA (National Scholastic Surf Association) and the WSA (Western Surfing Association). Both these events enforce a minimum 2.0 GPA in order to compete, an incentive for all youth to continue to do their best in school. However, most competitors in the top levels here are home schooled in order to capitalize on wave conditions and travel opportunities.
If a Fulcrum Grom has gotten to this point; there is a quick checklist that should be met before paying the hefty fees for contest registrations
They are:
-An aspiring competitor should be participating in practice heats in ISPE regularly
-An aspiring competitor should be filmed or photographed nearly every session for review
-An aspiring competitor should exemplify maturity, as they should expect tough losses due to poor wave conditions, and questionable judging.
-An aspiring competitor should be training; preparing themselves for rigorous days of competition
-An aspiring competitor should have their equipment dialed (demonstrating an understanding in surfboard design and why a certain surfboard suits the conditions).
And most of all…..
We hope that every young surfer that embarks on the competitive ladder always knows why he or she started surfing in the first place (because it’s fun). Many kids burn out on contests because they lose sight of why they started surfing in the first place and are too easily distracted by the pursuit of sponsors.
Fulcrum hopes to facilitate this process by coaching kids on what to expect when they are in contests and keeping them humble and focused on the betterment of their surfing. By implementing pressure drills, and choosing locations that offer conditions similar to premier contest venues, we hope to prepare kids to the best of our abilities so that they can chase their competitive dreams as far as they so choose.