NPHS students think surfing is swell
Despite the winter season in January, many California surfers hit their stride and continue to show up at beaches, braving the crashing waves and turning tides. These surfers include NPHS students, whose athletic abilities extend beyond the bounds of the fields and courts on campus.
During the summer months, Zoe Hardwick, sophomore, spends every day she can surfing at the beach. She loves the sport and encourages newcomers to be confident in their abilities to surf. “Surfing has taught me to not give up easily, because it’s a hard skill to learn and definitely feels intimidating when everyone you’re in the water with is [at a] higher level than you,” Hardwick said.
Following in the footsteps of his uncle, Brady Spencer, senior, has surfed for the majority of his life, a sport that he recommends to others. Spencer accredits surfing to teaching him the importance of humility and how to be patient with yourself when you fail. “People should start surfing because it’s another way to be outside, improving [their] skills and having fun with friends,” Spencer said.
Brooklyn Bovard, sophomore, hopes to become a professional surfer, which requires countless hours of training and practice. She has worked toward that goal by staying motivated and learning to move on from mistakes. Bovard feels that the sport is unique in its nature. “I believe surfing is different [from] other sports because the ocean is unpredictable and no wave is the same. So you can’t just do the same thing every time and [you] have to adjust in different conditions,” Bovard said.
Throughout the four years Hardwick has surfed, she has been challenged by the difficulty of becoming good at the skill. “I would tell new surfers not to let fear hold them back, because I’ve seen people being afraid of waves [that] make them slowly lose motivation to surf,” Hardwick said.
