In preparation for the 2014 Pipe Masters trials, Torrey Meister suffered a horrific injury during a free surf, rupturing his spleen and shattering all hopes of winning a wild card position into the very prestigious Pipe event. But it wasn’t a complete disaster for the accomplished Hawaiian, as Torrey’s traumatic injury served as an unexpected blessing.
In the latest installment of En Route – a video series that follows various Sanuk athletes preparing for competition – Torrey Meister talks about the blessing in disguise that resulted from his injury.
As a professional athlete, surfers are always evaluating their performance. They are constantly worrying about their diet, training regimens, traveling, and pleasing sponsors while maintaining their personal lives. It can be extremely stressful at times. Especially when they’re not getting the results they hoped for.
The two months out of the water created a new outlook on life for Torrey. From the simple feeling of sand between his toes to the sensation of water rushing over his head on a duck dive, Torrey’s injury served as a catalyst to be more appreciative for the simple things in life. It’s unfortunate that it took an injury to come to this realization, but professional surfers can easily lose sight of these gifts in their hectic lives. And although Torrey was feeling extremely rusty his first time back in the water, he was simply humbled to be back surfing while making time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.
