Kolohe Andino had a lot to live up to. For a while, he was going to be the next world champ. He was going to be John John’s nemesis. He was groomed to be a pro surfer. He had a literal target on his surfboard. Kolohe was the next big thing. And then… well, and then he just kind of treaded water for a while. Not smashing ceilings or anything, but not disappearing off the rankings, either. It might’ve been a little disconcerting to a then-teenaged Kolohe — piling expectations on a kid generally doesn’t turn out too well — but Kolohe just kind of quietly went about the business of surfing, naysayers be damned. He did that because, despite all the grooming and prepping and expectations, Kolohe Andino is a surf rat. He’s a guy who loves surfing more than just about anything else. With contests on the back burner, Kolohe spent a whole lot of time surfing around home. A LOT of time. Because Kolohe is a surf rat — and he always will be.
