When sixteen year old Aine Dwyer starts her junior year at Coronado High School on August 25, 2016, she should certainly have no problem answering her teachers and classmates when they ask, “How was your summer?” After all, how many kids her age can say that they became nationally ranked surfers while off from school for the summer?
On May 22, 2016 Aine won the Explorer Women’s Longboard division at the 2016 NSSA (National Scholastic Surfing Association) West Coast Championships in Huntington Beach. From that regional competition, where she won the title of 2015/16 NSSA Explorer Women’s Longboard Champion, Aine advanced to the NSSA National Championships. At the National Explorer Championships, which were in Huntington Beach from June 26-28, 2016, Aine was ranked number five in the entire nation in the women’s longboard division. Considering that this was Aine’s first time competing on the national level and that surfing conditions were very difficult with large waves, her ranking is especially impressive.
Aine, a true SoCal girl at heart, was born in San Diego, and has lived in Coronado for almost her entire life. She’s always been active in sports, including soccer, softball, tennis, diving, swimming, skateboarding, and Irish dancing.
It wasn’t until five years ago when Aine was preparing to go into sixth grade that she first became interested in surfing. She recalls, “My friend Dylan Brown had a Liquid Shredder shortboard. We were going to the beach every day that summer, and he brought it with him. He told me to try it, and I was just hooked.” She also credits family friend JoAnna Blair for sparking her interest in surfing.
It’s only within the last year that Aine has even started any formal surf lessons; up until then she has basically taught herself how to surf. Her competitive edge is even more admirable knowing that her talents come from a whole lot of trial and error as she learned how to hone her surfing skills. A fast learner, Aine says she quickly realized that for her “the hardest part [of surfing] is paddling out, and getting over the waves.”
Within six months of learning how to surf, Aine entered her first surfing competition for middle school aged kids, surfing in a statewide competition. “I actually placed in it, and that’s what made me want to continue competing,” she says of her first competitive success in 2012.
Now just a few years later Aine has gone from earning sixth place with her fellow California middle school aged peers to competing nationally against all ages of women. How did Aine feel as she earned a national ranking at this year’s NSSA National Explorer Championships? “It was crazy! That was my biggest competition I’ve ever done, and it was just unreal. I was competing against girls who are from Hawaii, who were insanely good. It was kind of almost humbling to surf with people who are that good and have competed internationally. It was really cool to meet new people who have surfed in so many places,” she says.
While surfing against such elite competitors with international surfing experience may seem intimidating to some young surfers, Aine is instead inspired by her competition. She says, “I look at them and see what they do that I can’t do, or what they do differently; it makes me want to go learn their tricks, and incorporate some of their style into my style.”
Aine not only respects her fellow surfers’ talents, but also admires who they are as people. “All of the girls are so nice,” Aine adds. When Aine earned fifth place she was touched that Mason Schremmer, who earned first place in the competition, ran over and hugged her, showing how surfers truly exemplify sportsmanship. “I became best friends with almost all those girls I competed with,” Aine remarks.
Of course, competing on the national level isn’t where Aine plans on stopping! August marks the start of the next season for WSA (Western Surfing Association) and NSSA, and this fall Aine will begin competing on the international level, most likely in China, at the 2016 Women’s Longboard Tour of the World Surf League. When people think of China they don’t usually associate it with surfing, but Aine is excited about the prospect of surfing there. “They hold surf competitions there every year, and it’s so gorgeous,” she says of China. Additionally this upcoming March she will be heading to Australia to compete in the Noosa Festival of Surfing.
How does Aine, who fantasizes about surfing in Hawaii but has only ever surfed in California, feel about traveling across the world to compete internationally? “I haven’t even surfed in Mexico,” she laughs, “so going internationally is crazy!” When Aine was seven, she traveled throughout Europe with her family, but it’s been almost a decade since she’s had the opportunity to earn more stamps on her passport. She was excited to recently renew her passport in anticipation of her upcoming trips.
At these international competitions Aine is already looking forward to reconnecting with friends she made at the NSSA National Championships, such as the Schremmer sisters from Hawaii, Mason and Lola, as well as making new friends. Of the Schremmers Aine says, “They’re crazy good, and they’re so down to earth. I just met them at Nationals, and I definitely want to see them again.” Aine’s best friend Betsey Lee-Topanga, who lives in Malibu, will also be competing alongside Aine, making the journey even sweeter.
While surfing has allowed Aine to form friendships with people all over the world, it’s also allowed her the opportunity to form close bonds with people right here in Coronado. According to her mom Krizta, Aine “has been lucky enough to be encouraged and supported by some amazing surfers from our local surf community, who have been there to offer rides and give lots of great tips. Learning to surf in Coronado has made her a better surfer by allowing her to surf in all conditions, not just ideal ones.” One of Aine’s favorite competitions is the Coalition of Surfing Clubs Series in which she competes for the Coronado Surfing Association, and gets to hang out with other surfing clubs from all over during fun-filled weekends.
What’s Aine’s ultimate goal as a surfer? Without hesitation, this quiet yet self-assured young woman answers, “Being a world champion for sure! I want the WSL (World Surf League) title!” Yes, Aine has experienced a few cuts and scrapes along the way, but she’s never let anything stand between her and surfing. “It’s not always perfect. Sometimes you’ll go out in waves you can’t really handle, and you’ll get beat up a little bit by the waves. In all honesty it seems kind of scary to go out, but the longest you’d ever be held under is five seconds tops.” Speaking about her surfing injuries, Aine reflects, “It’s not worth it for me to just tell myself, ‘That’s it!’ I usually go right back out the next morning, and it’s so much fun for me.”
According to Surfer Magazine, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics will mark the first time that surfing will be included. Aine dreams of being among the first female longboarders to compete for the gold medal.
Surfing and globetrotting is exciting, of course, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Traveling is expensive as it is, but traveling for surfing competitions can be even more costly because it costs about $250 each way to check a surfboard. When she’s not competing, Aine is busy trying to earn extra money to help pay for her competitions, and can often be found babysitting just like other teens. She also gives surf lessons, which make her “really happy” because she enjoys “encouraging young surfers” and “teaching a love, respect, and passion for the ocean.”
Fortunately Aine has found two incredible sponsors who also support her surfing endeavors, Uncalm and Surfboards by Caleb. Uncalm, a surf clothing company, features photographs of Aine modeling their apparel on their Instagram page. Caleb Wilborn creates the longboards that Aine rides, and later this summer Aine’s own model longboard will be available for purchase. Pictures of Aine and Caleb working on the surfboard together can be viewed on Surboards by Caleb’s Instagram page.
Surfing may certainly be a lot of fun, but in addition to the out of pocket expenses associated with the sport, it also requires a great deal of Aine’s time. Aine’s dedication to surfing often comes at the price of personal time for other activities that most high school kids her age get to enjoy regularly. Even with all of her surfing, however, Aine still manages to find time to hang out with her friends. “I try to be as involved as I can since I’m gone so much,” she says.
Under the direction of her coach Carla Zamora, who lives in Malibu, Aine trains at various breaks up and down the coast. Even when Aine is home, she’s still doing her fair share of commuting throughout Southern California as she prepares for her upcoming competitions. Aine also manages to squeeze in extra surfing practice as well as fun as she participates in her school’s surf club. CHS’s surf club, under the leadership of Stan Searfus, gives Aine the opportunity to compete with her classmates as they ride waves together.
Aine’s parents Patrick and Krizta are both active in the Coronado Surfing Association, where Krizta serves as President. “We’re trying to get it [surfing] back into the high school,” Krizta says, “because unfortunately the high school doesn’t support surfing so they won’t give her time off for it; they don’t recognize it at all.” Because surfing isn’t considered an official sport at the school, this means that time spent traveling for upcoming international competitions won’t be considered excused absences from school, which Krizta finds disappointing as well as unfair. Krizta wants surfing to be designated as an official sport rather than an extracurricular club, and is hopeful that someday her daughter’s surfing accomplishments will be recognized by the school in the same manner that the school supports other sports such as football and baseball.
Training requires 5:00 am wake up calls for Aine so she can catch waves before school, and she goes to bed early each night to ensure she still gets the right amount of rest. The perception held by some people that surfers are lazy baffles Aine, who knows firsthand how much hard work and dedication she pours into her sport. Aine is adamant, “People think of surfing, and they think of stereotypical surf movies where the kids ditch school and party, but that’s not it at all!” She shares how when the current world champion took the title, rather than go to the after-party to celebrate her success, the new champ went back to her hotel to complete her homework.
Surfing actually requires more commitment to academics rather than a slack attitude of indifference toward it. Like many of her surfing peers, Aine too can be found completing assignments on the beach so she can keep up with her studies while pursuing her surfing aspirations. Aine maintains that the idea that surfers couldn’t care less about academics is simply untrue, adding that many surfing competitions require school aged kids to maintain grade point averages (GPAs) of at least 2.5 in order to be eligible. The surfing community as a whole embraces education, and surfers with the highest GPAs earn awards. “School is definitely a big part of surfing too because people don’t want somebody who loses himself to be representing surfing,” Aine says.
Science is Aine’s favorite subject in school, and when she graduates from CHS she’s hoping to study marine biology. “I can relate to marine biology since I’m in the ocean most of the time. It always interested me even before I started surfing. We used to go to Sea World all the time, and I’d spend endless hours in front of the sea otters and dolphins. I think what I’m going to do,” Aine says of her post high school plans, “is to go to college, get my education, and then go back to surfing. That way I have my degree, and I have something to use. Then I’ll pursue professional surfing for the world title.” Clearly Aine is focused on her future while being practical at the same time.
Some people make the mistake of believing that many surfers, such as those featured in the movie Blue Crush, are thrill-seekers who abuse drugs and alcohol when they’re not getting adrenaline rushes out in the ocean. That is another misperception that Aine knows is misguided because she knows firsthand how essential is is for her to be healthy and focused in order to surf. Surfing requires a tremendous amount of both physical and mental preparation, and Aine has no room in her life for anything that would steer her away from her dream of being the world champion. “There’s no way people could stay up late all night partying, and then wake up in the morning to go dawn patrol surfing,” she asserts emphatically. Her mom adds, “Plus it’s dangerous because you’re dealing with the ocean,” acknowledging that there are more than enough natural elements that are already out of surfers’ control without adding the repercussions of drugs and alcohol into the mix.
Where does Aine see herself ten years from now? “Hopefully living somewhere in Australia and surfing,” she responds. She’s hopeful that someday she will be defending her Women’s World Longboard Champion title while she has a successful career in underwater reef construction. She also envisions herself putting her ocean studies to good use as she helps address water pollution issues.
Does Aine have any advice for young girls who are interested in surfing like she does? “Yeah, definitely just pick it up, and don’t let any of the guys stop you or tell you that you can’t be out in the lineup. Just be aware.” Aine possesses a remarkable attitude about surfing as well as a self awareness that’s beyond her years.
It is evident that her mom is not only proud of her firstborn, but that she totally respects Aine’s dedication to surfing just as much as she respects her younger daughter’s Saoirse’s choice to be a cheerleader. Krizta has always given both of her daughters the choice to participate in whichever activities make them happy as long as they’re both active. Aine may be the only surfer in her family of four, but that hasn’t stopped her mom from admiring her daughter’s surfing skills. “I’m amazed and impressed. I don’t surf, but my husband and I are both really involved with the surf association. I only got there because she got involved in it. It’s been a real awakening to how hard it is, and the amount of effort that surfers put in. You have to know how to read the ocean and weather. You have to know how to handle your body and the board. Every competition is different. Every time she goes in the ocean it’s a totally different playing field,” Krizta marvels.
Aine nods her head in agreement with her mother’s assessment of surfing. “There’s always something new; that makes competition better for me because you never really know what conditions you’ll have. It’s not going to be perfect,” she concludes. It’s amazing how someone so young has already embraced that surfing is a metaphor for life: the waves are the obstacles which you can either ride or let wash over you, but the choice is yours alone. All of us here in Coronado can learn a lot from Aine, who bravely paddles out on her longboard to catch the next big swell.
