Pure stoke. Photo: Jody Marcon
You’ve heard the old adage, “the best surfer is the one having the most fun.” While I can’t say I fully agree with that, I do appreciate the sentiment. But what I will say is that the surfer having the most fun is the surfer that truly understands the meaning of stoke.
I’m not a great surfer. Never have been. Never will be. And I’m okay with that.
I’ve been a driven and competitive person my entire life. Get straight A’s in school. Check. Make the varsity track team my freshman year of high school. Check. Run in college. Check. Get a good job. Check.
With most things, if I’m not good at it, then it’s not fun. Never been a fan of video games. I don’t enjoy chess. Yoga just isn’t my thing. I don’t like soccer. Am I terrible at all these things? Yes. Coincidence? I think not.
But when it comes to surfing, it’s different.
I’ve been surfing for 14 years now and am still not a great surfer. Have I progressed over the past decade? Of course. But if you look at any lineup, I’m sitting at the below-average mark in the talent pool. I think it would be safe to say that I’m pretty mediocre.
Do I wish I was a better surfer? For sure. I’d love to nose ride with Honolua Blomfield’s grace. I wish I could experience the thrill of dropping into a sky-scraper sized wave like Kai Lenny. I dream about landing a massive air or sitting deep in a barrel like John John Florence. But despite our differences in skill, are these surfers having more fun in the water than I am? Honestly, I doubt it.
I don’t spend my free time scouring how-to videos on YouTube and I’ve never taken a lesson, so I know there’s plenty of room for improvement. If I did these things regularly, I’d be a better surfer, but I’d still never be great. And that’s okay.
The first time I toed a start line, I knew that I had potential to be a good runner. I won my first race. I was awarded MVP my senior year of high school. Like I said, I ran in college. Sure, I put in a lot of time and hard work, but I was also gifted with natural talent. Some things just come naturally, and others don’t.
Happily mediocre. Photo: Tommy Pierucki
Sometimes I wish I was a better surfer but most of the time, I’m satisfied with my skillset. I know how (and who) I am and if I were a good surfer I’d probably want to compete and see where the sport could take me. I love competition but it also adds a lot of stress. There’s something to be said for just simply surfing for the love of surfing.
When I surf, there are no expectations. No agenda. No training plan. I’m out to have fun, soak up some sunshine, and ride a few waves. I surf because I love surfing, plain and simple.
Next time you try something and you’re just okay at it, ask yourself: Am I having fun? If you are, then keep at it. I think everyone should do something that they’re incredibly mediocre at. Because if you’re not good at something and you still love it, then you know you’re doing it because you truly enjoy it. But hey, that’s just my opinion.
