A month or two ago, a parent reached out to me asking what they could do to help their child be successful in surfing. At the top of my list was to get an education. Surf careers last only so long; intelligence is transcendent.
On that note, a huge congratulations to Kirra Stacy and Charlie Denham, who have been named 2023 NSSA Surfer/Scholars of the Year.
An integral member of the San Clemente High School surf team, Stacy finished the school year with a remarkable 4.83 GPA. To be honest, I don’t even know how someone does that, but the Stacy family is special like that.
Meanwhile, Denham earned a 4.40 GPA from St. Margaret’s Episcopal School.
To balance a sport like surfing, which demands chasing waves up and down the coast, along with early-morning surf team practices and a commitment that borders on obsessive while also excelling in the classroom, is something truly special.
Undoubtedly, when they finally hang up their competitive jerseys, Stacy and Denham will be leading the surf industry to loftier heights.
As an old lifeguard once told me, “It’s a dumb son of a gun that doesn’t learn something new every day.” Just like pushing boundaries in the water, never stop challenging your mind.
If you have a candidate for Grom of the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com.
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