Sooooo….It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a “surf update” around here! Back in the day, I shared a lot of these, and many of you kindly endured followed along with them. 😉 I don’t post as often anymore so I’m always hesitant to make things all about us. But…
But in the past few weeks a lot of people have asked questions about Luke’s competitive surfing: About his new sponsors and about his future plans. And (maybe most importantly) “could he be in the Olympics now that surfing is officially a part of the 2020 Olympics?” 🙂 These are all great questions, so it seems like a good time to share an update post. It’s also a chance to share some epic photos from the past season because Luke makes surfing look really beautiful.
Quick background: Surfing has been a big part of our life since we moved to Hawaii 18 years ago. All of our boys started surfing from a very young age. Dave would take them on a board with him when they were around 4 years old, and by 5-6 all of them could surf small waves. Dave has spent countless hours in the water with his boys, and is still often out there with Levi, (8.) Bless him.
That’s how it starts ^^ Just get them comfortable in the water however you can! And before you know it…
Josiah and Jonah did a bit of competitive surfing, but decided they enjoyed the sport a lot more without the contests. They both still surf a lot, and Josiah has fallen in love with the surf breaks around Santa Barbara where he is in college.
Luke, on the other hand…took to competition surfing early on. He loved battling it out, even in the early days when he was losing more than winning. He began to compete regularly by the time he was 9 or 10 — entering contests all year round in Hawaii and then going to Southern California every summer for National Championships. He began to dream of being a professional surfer and has trained with that goal in mind ever since.
But becoming a pro in any sport is a long journey. Competitive surfing takes a ton of hard work and grit; a career in surfing is a marathon much more than a sprint. A kid will only survive if he can roll with things — not getting too up when things are good, or down when they are not.
Luke often wakes up before the sun, when it hurts me to even imagine getting in the water. (Yes, Hawaii is warmer than most places, but early morning water will chill a skinny boy’s bones anywhere.) He’ll surf for hours and then come home to face a full day of school. Though he has managed still be a “regular kid” to a large extent, there is no doubt he has sacrificed a lot to pursue his dreams. And whether or not he accomplishes his goal of becoming a pro, I don’t think Luke will regret any part of the journey. He has an amazingly positive attitude and he has a fantastic balance of being an intense competitor, and also light-hearted in the midst of it all. He has a solid faith in God’s plan. He really loves what he does.
And of course, we love to watch him.
I say all of this to lay a foundation for why we celebrate every little step of Luke’s surfing journey in this family. It’s kind of a big part of our life around here…
Sponsors and support. Like many individual sports, part of the journey of being a competitive surfer is that along the way you begin to connect with “sponsors”. Sponsors are typically surf brands or related companies (from sunscreen to nutrition brands, sunglasses and etc.) who “sponsor” a surfer by giving them free product (and eventually financial support) in exchange for the athlete putting their brand sticker on their board and generally repping the company well. This is initially exciting for kids because it affirms their surfing and boosts their confidence. But down the road sponsors become an actual necessity because competitive surfing gets expensive — from surf contest entry fees to the boards they use, wetsuit and other equipments, and then travel most of all. So kids who are serious about surfing and proving themselves in the industry strive to move from being “flow riders’ (meaning they get free stuff) to being in a “contract”, meaning there is some financial partnership involved.
Some kids have the advantage of knowing people in the surf industry and having some connections that way. Unfortunate for Luke, Dave and I didn’t grow up in the surf community and we didn’t have any connections to help get him started. (Sorry, kid! 🙂 ) And though we have more than once dreamed that there was someone out there to pull some strings for him, we’re now really glad that he had to make a name for himself. Earn everything. Or, as Dave has always told Luke:
“Let your surfing do the talking.”
So he did. He worked hard for his first few competitive years, hoping for any kind of sponsorship. For a long time there was nothing. Though he was young it felt like it took forever before something happened. Then…
Quiksilver: (Some of you will remember-) when Luke was 11 or 12, someone from Quiksilver reached out to him and invited him to be a team rider. This was exciting as a first step. It wasn’t long before other brands reached out to him as well: Surface Sunscreen, Cobian footwear, Freak Traction, Futures Fins, and others …. and all of these brands have been incredibly helpful (free product is great!) It’s been tons of fun, and really — how cool that he’s getting anything at such a young age.
But Luke just turned 15 and he is entering the next stage where he needs more support. Contests have gotten expensive. He goes through about 12-15 surfboards a year now (breaking many of them) and he is now competing in the Pro Jr. tour which means he not only needs to travel to California every summer, but Tahiti each spring. And other international trips are just on the horizon. (not to mention the wave pools. Anyone out there live in Waco?) So he’s been training like crazy and praying for more support.
Then finally…
Rip Curl reached out wanting to talk contract. (yes!) They offered Luke a 2-year contract involving free stuff, plus a bit of help with contests and travel fees. Also: an incredibly supportive team who are super stoked on Luke. We talked to the team coaches here in Hawaii and in California. We talked to the Quiksilver guys who have become like family. We prayed a lot. And we all felt a total peace about moving on. The Rip Curl guys want to help Luke achieve his dreams and we all agree he is a great fit for their company and brand.
And with that, a contract was signed and Luke has quickly switched out stickers and wetsuits and pretty much his entire wardrobe.
And he’s super excited for all that lies ahead being a Rip Curl Surfer.
(If the video below does not show, try refreshing your page!) *and turn up your volume for full effect…
Fun stuff, right? (But there’s more…)
Channel Islands Surfboards: The other super fun/exciting thing that happened at just about the same time is that Channel Islands surfboards (out of Carpenteria Ca.) offered to start shaping Luke’s surf boards. (shaping is the term for building a surf board.) If you are familiar with the surf industry, you likely know about Channel Islands — their legendary founder Al Merrick, and his son Britt, who is both a board shaper to a few big name pros, and also the head Pastor of Reality Church Carpenteria. {And to add to his fame, he is married to my friend — author and speaker, Kate Merrick. (who is launching her 2nd book in a few short weeks! — you’ll hear more about that here soon!) }
Luke loved his local shaper here, but again was thankful to get the support of the biggest shaper in the world. And you can imagine Luke’s stoke when a box arrived with this inside…
Now for a Crazy Fun Fact: Our son Josiah actually goes to Britt’s church in Carpenteria. So now our oldest son’s Pastor is also our 3rd son’s Shaper, and how wild is that?!
Happening now: As I type this, Luke is away in Tahiti, competing in a couple of contests that are part of the Jr. Pro Tour and Qualifying series for the WSL. (the World Surf League.) He’ll take a redeye back on Saturday and go straight from the airport to another contest. And then his Regional championships happen days later. Basically we are entering a very busy contest season.
There is no doubt: Our whole family is super proud of Luke. When he wins and when he loses, we are always so proud of his hard work and character. His brothers are his biggest fans which makes me so very happy. We’re all cheering him on in all he is doing. Yes, he dreams of being a professional surfer, but I’m making sure he keeps his GPA up as well. I don’t think there is much Luke couldn’t do if he set his mind to it. 🙂
We don’t know — but God knows and that is good enough.
Underneath his carefree surfer image, Luke is a truly thoughtful and wise young man. He inspires me every day. In addition to the physical part of his training, Luke has learned the importance of mental training, which I am convinced is a huge part of the equation. He’s also truly committed to honoring God with his surfing and his whole life. And nothing he does in or out of the water could make me more proud.
3 books that have been super helpful in Luke’s competitive journey are:
Finish First: Winning Changes Everything
Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms
We’re also all fans of Bethany Hamilton (another RIP CURL sponsored surfer! :)) and this book was an early inspiration to all of my boys: Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board
And as for the Olympics? Well, I can’t make any promises, but that would be really fun, wouldn’t it? I hope you’ll stick around, regardless — We’ve yet to have a dull moment around here, and as long as you don’t mind I’ll keep sharing (occasional) updates with you as we go.
And there ends my surf update for Winter, 2019. If you made it this far, you’re either one of our relatives, a surfer yourself, or someone I would call friend. Thanks for following along!
Did I miss anything? If you have any questions or thoughts I hope you’ll comment below. I always love to hear about your kids’ interests and passions as well — whether they are athletes, musicians, poets, chefs, or anything else. Share away. Mom bragging fully welcome here! 🙂
You can follow Luke’s Instagram @lukeswanson_
Hi Monica, I loved reading about Luke and his passion for surfing and am not surprised that you are super proud of him.
My son was a surfer … absolutely loved it. But injured his neck and back in a wipeout at some stage and although it did not stop him surfing, it certainly stopped him going full out.
Quite early in his marriage, through circumstances, he went to live in a landlocked part of England and when he got back to Cape Town (where we live on the really cold part of the ocean), his 2 little boys just did not share his passion.
I am really sad about that … but I guess that’s life and as we don’t have the same glorious climate as Hawaii and his work took up all the decent weather times … well … I guess God just has a different plan for each of us.
Lots of luck to Luke. God bless your lovely family.
Regards, Dawn … mother and grandmother of 7
Aw, thank you so much Dawn. Yes, things don’t usually go like we imagine they will — my husband actually really hoped our boys would be soccer players like he was, so this is brand new territory for us as well. God does know, but hopefully your son is making all kinds of new memories with his boys! Blessings to you and thank you for the encouraging words…
Congratulations to Luke! Well done, but of course none of it would be possible without his incredible parents and brothers encouraging him on. Praise God for giving Luke such talent and dedication to his sport. Please keep us posted, such exciting news!!!!
Loved, loved also seeing Levi on the surf board with Dave that was precious beyond words!
Great seeing you at church last Sunday 😉 too.
Blessings Always, Penny
Thank you so much Penny! It was so fun seeing you at church and having yet another “small world’ moment! 🙂 Hope to see you next time you’re on island. Blessings and aloha-
Monica, Keep sharing away! I have a 14 year old son whose passion is baseball! He is starting to get some interest from colleges. We just take it one step at a time and let God’s plan unfold. The journey is fun and sometimes we just look for the lessons :)).
Thank you Susan!! Love hearing from you. (I wish colleges offered surf scholarships– that would be so awesome!) Enjoy your adventures as well. Blessings–
Thanks for the update on Luke. We hear about what he is doing from your Mom and Dad but not all that often, He is pretty amazing as far as I can see.
Turning what you love into your profession takes hard work and determination. Our son loved skiing. He started skiing at Crystal Mountain with the high school bus lessons. He was an instructor at the age of 16 and worked at Crystal for 16 years. At that time he applied for the Director of the Ski and Snowboad school at Steamboat Springs, CO. At his interview he was asked if he wasn’t a little young for that job. His answer was 16 years in the industry and he was ready for a larger challenge He got the job and has been there for 13 years
You asked for comments so here is mine. Hope I didn’t bore you.
Hi Sandie– Thank you so much for the comment (not boring at all! :)) I love hearing about your son.
My mom always says such nice things about you also — I’ll have to see you on one of my visits! 🙂 Hugs to you and aloha-
Monica – I started reading your blog when my friend Rachel would link to it from her FB page. Your advice was great for her two boys and certainly has helped w my four.
Rachel was killed tragically less than two years ago and is missed by all who called her friend. But whenever I read your posts, I feel connected to her and I am very thankful for that blessing.
Oh wow, Maureen, that is so touching…Such a special connection, I really appreciate you sharing. I am grateful for Rachel as well, it was people like her who shared my posts who made it possible for me to get a book deal and to keep doing what I feel called to do. I will stop to pray for her family and all of you who miss her. Please keep in touch here, ok? 🙂 Much aloha-
Ok, sorry about those typos at the end.
Monica,
I am just always so amazed at how mature all of your older boys are in daily life. You guys have done a marvelous job of raising those boys and turning them into young men. Their faith shows through in everything. Their love for family is truly amazing. I have truly enjoyed watching them up close and from a distance become they people that are today. God bless friend.
Kendall- Thank you so much. That truly means the world. You have known them a long time now, so I really appreciate your words. 😉 I’m beyond grateful for God’s goodness and grace. And also, I still have that youngest one to raise up, haha! 🙂 blessings to you and your family!
That was a fun read! Go Luke!!!
Thanks Shannon! 😉 Blessings!
I loved this post. I grew up in soCal and was always fascinated by the surfer scene but was never a part of it. It’s so interesting to hear kind of a back story of how surfers become surfers. It’s amazing that he found his passion so young.
Thank you Jamie! Yes, since I grew up in the Pacific Northwest playing more typical team sports, I have learned a lot raising a surfer! 😉 It’s a fun ride! Much aloha to you !
Monica, I _loved_ this post! Please keep the Luke surf posts coming!! (Along with all your other posts of course—no pressure, haha!) Each of your boys are unique and this is one of Luke’s qualities that is unique! And for those of us living in different parts of the world, this is a really cool way for us to get a glimpse into the surfing world from a Mom’s perspective! I have always loved any updates about Luke’s surfing. I’ve been reading your blog for 7 or 8 years now. I found it because one day in miserable January here in New Jersey, while trying to find fun things for Tommy and me to do (i think he was around 2 at the time), i said to myself, “what would it be like to be a Mom of young boy(s) someplace sunny and amazing where people play in the ocean all year round?” So i Googled something like “Mom + boy + surf” and I found you!! And I’veloved your blog ever since, through all of the changes and so many recent successes!!! Anyways, sending warmth and happiness from NJ where it’s finally feeling like spring, which inspires hope in me year after year!!
xoxo
Wendy B.
Oh Wendy, thank you thank you! You have always been a LIGHT here in my blog community! Isn’t that funny, you came to my blog to find sunshine but you truly have always given it back. 🙂 Hugs to you and Tommy and thank you for stopping in. God bless!
Love this! Wow! You have every right to be proud and to share Luke’s success with us. I don’t have a clue about surfing, and live hours from the sea, but I read every word and loved the photos/video. So cool! Keep sharing 🙂
Than you Joanna! Big hugs and blessings to you! 🙂
So proud of all of the boys. Hey, I gave up FB for lent so I’ve missed our talks! Please IM me for any other things going on I might miss! Boy Mom release date and Skinny Friends stuff. Love you and will talk to you soon!!!
Good for you Sara! Trust me, you’re not missing anything on Social! Keep up the great work and you’ll catch up online later…Big hugs to you.
Love this update. Congratulations to Luke!
So exciting !!! I wanted to finish your entire email before looking at the video, which I will do after I post this to you.
I’ve been reading all your emails and want you to know how awesome they all are, however, this one really caught my attention . I have an athlete at my house too. Unfortunately, it’s not in surfing but everything you said about surfing, hard work, commitment, sacrifices, I’m including that and will come back to that in a minute, talent and many more that I’m not listing fits in my sons sport as well. My son, Chad, plays baseball. He started at 4 and has not stopped since . He is now 17 and will be 18 in June. Time , money , travel , tournaments everywhere … it’s a great journey ! I also have two other kiddos as well , Caleigh who is almost 14, and Chase who will be 13 next month . I work full time also so it’s very challenging keeping up with teenagers and work. I’m exhausted all the time ! Please remind me of your children’s ages too.
Chad has verbally committed to a D1 college this past summer. He will have a scholarship for baseball and we couldn’t be more excited. Chad is a lefty and he pitches and also plays first base. He also hits from both sides . They call this a switch hitter in baseball.
Continue to brag on Luke! I brag on mine all the time. Please let us know about the Olympics. Chads dream is to go all the way with baseball. Major League Baseball would be absolutely the most wonderful opportunity. With that being said , he is a normal 17 year old also. Chad is very smart so college is very important. His senior year is coming up and me being the mom , I want every day to go slow please. His college is 6 1/2 hours away from home .
It’s 12:45 am over here in Texas so I’m going to watch the video now and then turn in for the night . Luke is so cute and these pictures are out of this world !! I will show Chad tomorrow.
Enjoy Hawaii! I’ve been to Kuawi one time in 2000, where I married my husband . One day, I want to go back and see the other islands as well. Hawaii is beautiful!!
All the best to Luke !!
He’s a doll, love that bleached blond hair!! He’s an amazing example of determination and devotion. You have every right to be super proud! One question though, has he ever encountered a shark??? That would be my greatest fear as a momma…
Fun to get to know your family thru Josiah. Sad Luke is no longer part of our Quik team, but we know God is guiding you. ❤️??♂️
Fun to get to know your family thru Josiah. Sad he’s not part of our Quik team, but we know God is guiding you.
Rip Curl are a fantastic company, they’ll take good care of him. Look forward to seeing Luke surf in Australia one day. Love and best wishes from the northern beaches of Sydney.
Thank you for this post. We are very different moms, but there are many similarities as well. Sending many positive thoughts Luke’s way as he reaches for his dreams and keeps his heart and soul where they should be. You are raising great kids, as am I. I celebrate your sons’ successes and cherish my own kids as well, but always with a nod to the fact that it’s not a competition- it’s a celebration of who and what our children are!! God bless
Monica,
Mom bragging totally allowed here. We are so excited for Luke! It’s funny that you feel the need to not share too much, because to us, we get all teary-eyed for him, and for all of you when we read these updates. We’ve watched him grow up on your blog/social media, so we feel proud alongside you!
Congrats, Luke!
That means SO much to me Amy! Seriously, that makes my day! 😉 Thank you for the reminder and your sweet support!! aloha!
So stoked for Luke. You have every right to be a proud mama! Blessings to you all. Xoxo
Beautiful pictures! I need to go back to your earlier posts on surfing and read your updates:) It was very interesting for me to read about his journey and excitement of being sponsored. You are right about the importance of sponsorship in individual sports. I have a very determined 10 year old boy (my youngest of three) who lives and breathes tennis. We don’t know where his passion will lead as it’s a tough-tough sport, but so far he is enjoying it all–the competition, the highs and the lows…learning that the wins wouldn’t feel this sweet if he hadn’t experienced the losses too:)
Well o fcourse Rip Curl picked him up – Australians are just like that 🙂 we love a cool kid!