The grooming of the groms
I am pleased to share the water with two local groms who are really beginning to shine.
Their surfing is in a rapid growth phase and from a competition surfing perspective they are just beginning to get their toes wet.
I am talking of 15-year-old twin brothers Dane and Ethan Pearson from Merrifield High School.
The lads have succeeded through the local junior summer surf series which doubles as a social event and as selection for the Buffalo City (BC) grom surf team.
For those readers who do not know, a grom is a beginner surfer, of any age, usually characterised by disproportionate energy, enthusiasm, excitement and application. Rain, snow, sun, hail, east, west, good waves or bad - a good grom does not see the difference. They are just utterly thrilled to be in the water.
I have been surfing contests since 1980 and still continue to do so. This is 44 years in the game and counting.
I remain convinced that contest surfing is a good thing. That is not to say it is the only thing and if you do not surf competitively you are on a bad tack, but just that it is tough and it is good.
I have had the full experience of university surfing, EP (NMB), Border Buffalo City and a moment of SA surfing at international level.
While free surfing/soul surfing has something to offer, I suggest competition surfing has more.
For this reason I am in full support of the Grom Games Surfing Championships held at Nahoon Beach recently.
I am of the firm opinion that South African Surfing and especially Buffalo City Surfing is very well run. Grom surfing operates up and down our entire SA coastline with particular effort towards inclusion and transformation.
In our neck of the woods our grom games is a contest between BC and NMB. Just two components of the SA coast. Before Covid grom games used to be all seven of our surfing provinces at one event. This was a real shock to the system for a brand new kid, to be faced by such an intimidating event.
The reduction to two provinces is a smarter, softer and easier entry. Natal have their own grom games and WP have their own grom games.
When the youngsters make their full provincial colours they will hit the proper deep end and be at the all seven provinces SA Championships.
The grom games are an excellently designed feeder system. Once a grom makes full provincial colours they are out of the grom system to make space for new beginners coming in.
For me the joy of competition is that I have surfed our entire SA coastline. It is hard to describe the adventure of road trips, teams and new waves to ride. I have friends of 44 years up and down our coastline and some international friends. It is hard to imagine a better life, not to mention the blessing of fitness, health and vitality from years spent in the water.
The most recent grom games were a bit of a blunt force trauma 30 to 40 knot east onshore winds, sub 15 degree water and 3.2m shipsinking swell at a brutal 16 seconds period. One kid instantly had an ice cream headache after three duck dives and quit the water without catching a ride.
“That’s it mom, I am done!” He did get back in the water for his next heat and made a much better job of it. Ain’t that life. Fall down and get back up again.
Sport is a metaphor for life, a safe place to learn how to win or lose, or at least it should be.
Kudos to NMB, in the giant surf away from home, they managed to win over BC which was a big achievement since they come from the land of tiny surf.
As for Dane and Ethan, good buddy Nathan Emslie says, “I encouraged them to do the summer series and I am stoked to see how well they are doing. It must be quite funny to judge their heats and figure out who is who since even our teachers at school didn’t realise when they swapped classes as a joke one time. These guys are such legends.”
Competitive almost to a fault Ethan interfered on Dane and took 4th in the U16 final. The lads remind me of Richard and John Oertel from my young days.
Dane got a hold of the finals and took the win. Second was Jesse Cameron from NMB and third Alex Carolus from NMB.
Sans the interference Ethan may have got the second. May I suggest: learn to cooperate lads. And stick to it. Take it from an old guy who has measured this game for 44 years. You’ve so much to look forward to.