A friend recently noted that among his gradchildren the one that excelled at surfing was the one that was the least athletically inclined. I have heard this before that sometimes the best surfers that pick it up the quickest are not always the kids that do well in sports. I wonder why that is???
I'd agree with it. I've seen the same type of thing in fighting. My brother is a BJJ blackbelt and is pretty awful at "ball sports" but looks like a fish IN the water on the mats. I don't have a hypothesis why... maybe hand-eye coordination vs body awareness.
Interesting thread. I think what is happening today is that if you don't dedicate your self to one specific sport or interest AT A REALLY EARLY AGE then you will not be able to play that sport by High School. All 3 of my sons are good surfers, fisherman, and hunters. They are athletic but since they never played for a travel team or were sent to play baseball in a Winter league in Arizona, or attended football camps all year long, or transferred to a new England prep school to play ice hockey, they just weren't competitive enough to play at level higher than a recreational league. As we all know, you can be a good surfer and not surf competitively. Surfing itself is hard to label. Is it just a sport? An artful expression? Commune with nature? Church? All of these things? I think Surfer mag just did a story on this.
I hate when people consider surfing a sport,but I feel the same for football and think surfing is more of a sport than things like tennis and golf.surfings just the thing to do,makes u feel good.i occasionally play football but I hate watching it.the money these guys get is redicilous.surfers put their lives on the line and deserve more pay.it would be cool if surfing fans were like fb and bb fans where they are fat and out of shape and never dare to take the sport on themselves.the more commercialized surfing becomes the crowder our sacred spots will become.i don't surf to gain fame or get fans,i prefer cold windy rainy days on an empty beach and being the only soul out.the ocean is always changing and I welcome all the challenges mother nature throws at me.not a fan of team sports,every man for themselves.
surfing is an athletic endeavor or something other than a sport, its only a sport if 1) the scoring is objective (not surfing or ice dancing) 2) and someone is trying to stop you from scoring (I know those paddle round johnny cakes are trying to stop you from scoring set waves) 3) you break a sweat IM not so HO
I agree with 1 & 2. Just because you're wet doesn't mean you're not sweating. Don't be fooled, you're definitely sweating. What is HO?
In My not so Humble Opinion I know I sweat in a fullsuit and in FL when the water is 85, but its not a sport, its an athletic endeavor for instance, in chess, scoring is objective and someone is trying to stop you from scoring, but odds are you arent breaking a sweat, therefore not a sport juijitsui, all three conditions are met, >> JJ is a sport
So what you're saying is the sky is blue but I think it's more of a shade of azure. We all know I'm right on this one.
It is a matter of aptitude and attitude. Most of my friends and their kids that surf are real good at ball sports, just not that obsessed as we are towards the waves. The spontaneity and the reflexes involved in surfing challenging waves also lends itself to being good at martial arts. Ball sports, with their rigid rules makes me feel like a round hole in a square peg.
i wouldn't call our kind not athletically inclined... i guess it boils down to the individual personality. surfing, grappling, etc. is all about me. just myself. not saying we're not team players; just get more satisfaction accomplishing stuff without anyone's help. my $0.02
As far as surfing being a sport, I don't believe so. Atleast not for me. For me it's a physical endeavour like someone else said, but I look at it as more of a way of life/religion. I don't live by the bible, I live by the wind, tide, and swell. As far as solo sports vs team sports. I played football and lacrosse growing up, wasn't bad but not the best by any means. When I got older (middle school) I got into surfing and judo. I excelled at these two activities much more then team sports. Since I dont surf competitively I can't speak about it but in judo when it's just you against another man I find it much more intense. No one else to count on, just yourself. Wins are more satisfying and losses hurt more then in team sports. I have no idea why but that's my opinion on the subject
Other than some water polo in high school, all my sports or activities have been individual. Am I a loner? Perhaps. Probably would've been a good mountain man. I don't mind talking to people and being friendly, just never cared much for crowds. But I do like going to a big league or AAA ball park to watch a game. So there's an inconsistency. Surfing is a good fit for me. Wish I had started it sooner.
Surfing is a sport if you make it one. I don't like to make it one. For me it's a way to minimize competition, not carry it from our societal rat race to the water. But hey, to those that like to compete more power to ya! Just don't drag the rest of us into the aggrofest.
Interesting thread. Some insights that are pretty neat. I view surfing as a sport in the sense of the challenge. It feels like the challenge of any sport that I've ever competed in. Having said that, it's like no other sport I've ever competed in. There is a constantly changing 'playing field.' As in, by the minute sometimes, that's how fast things can change. Whereas other sports are static in terms of the playing field (with exceptions, e.g., competitive sailing, kayaking, most competitions held on non-man-made water surfaces). It's also important to select the proper equipment for the conditions. And there certainly are competitors out there, as anyone knows from crowded days. So, that stuff adds up to me to make it a sport. But it can also be an art, an endeavor, a passion, that transcends sport. Maybe that last bit explains Dane Reynolds quandary / confusion, lol.
I can see the individual vs team aspect. I have surfed since high school and only played tennis, golf and did hunting, climbing, martial arts and other outdoors activities but did not like team sports as I got pissed if someone else let the team down and felt terrible if I let the team down. In individual sports you only got yourself to blame. As for not being good at sports in general I would say depends on the person. I was ranked in the top 10 in the southeast during Jr tennis, played golf till I got married at a 3-6 handicap and hold a black belt in Taekwondo and brown in karate and trained in hapkido for 2.5 years with a 9th Dan Korean Master. Course I can't dunk, hit a curve ball or slap shot but those were not sports I pursued. As for surfing being a sport, I say only if you are on tour otherwise it's a way of life.
not to derail this thread into a "what is or is not a sport" discussion/debate, but as someone who competed in cross country running & track & field at a high level for many years, i'm gonna have to go ahead & call bs on the above.
You're right, to better focus the discussion, an agreed upon definition of what constitutes a sport should be established ....Good luck. Anyway, per dictionary.com, a sport is "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc."
