Can Surf Stoke be Taught?

Post by **AlbyAl** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:51 pm

JUNIOR DON'T SURF: I'VE FAILED!

Me lad (19) just flew off to London the other day. He's tall, pale, thin - loves film-making and the computer, really smart, but he DON'T SURF!!

I tried and tried from when he was about 10, but the fuse was never lit, he never got the surf stoke. He never scribbled waves over his school books, or stared hypnotically at tubes in mags. I always had a board for him; even made a couple to show him the process from ground up, but he was always ambivalent - like surfing was some optional sport to dabble in, not a passion that drove his old man to the limits of sanity (and still sometimes does). His whole life he saw his dad surrounded with boards and trekking off to the beach, but even with bulk encouragement, he just didn't like it.

What happened? Is surf stoke genetic and me lad just didn't getit, or can it be taught, and I didn't try hard enough. I'm sad. I miss him - but I'll never sit out in the water with him and call him onto a wave. Regrets. Regrets.

Post by **crooked** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:08 pm

You are the bow and he is the arrow.

You can launch him in the right direction but you can never control where he lands.

It is out of your hands.

You will just have to enjoy where he does land, and maybe he can teach you about what gets him stoked.

Failed? No! You taught him to follow his dreams and look what he is doing!

To far off lands, he seeks his fortune.

Why would you regret that?

Post by **elbows** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:17 pm

a sad tale AA

me and my brother got nothing but discouragement when it came to surfing, but we were commited from the beginning.

at times I would have killed to have a dad that surfed. let alone one that made me a board. damn.

seems like you did all that you could.

Post by **Damage** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:39 pm

It wasn't the surfing, he probably just got sick of you rabbiting on about Ernest Hemingway all the time.

Post by **onawave** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:04 pm

some people just get their stoke from somewhere else. you said he likes film making? well he has creative "flair" maybe the best way to get him to look at surfing would be to encourage him to do some short films on surfing.....

maybe a 16mm version, jack johnson style. put some music to it, and you could have a 5 - 10 minute short surfing film that would takes months to put together....

Post by **Grooter** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:13 pm

My old man always wanted me to play baseball. He loved the game, took me to watch a few games and he really hoped that I'd take it up as I guess he liked the idea of coaching me to play it.

But it was never my thing, aussie rules and cricket were my favorite sports and still are.

He still doesn't like me surfing and never wanted me to take it up. In fact he still chides me (even though I'm 32) everytime I tell him about a session I had at Gunnamatta as he knows how bad the rips are there (he saved a mate there from drowning once in the early 70's)

One thing I'm reminding myself with my daughter is to not to try and make her like something. Kids being kids will only want to do the opposite of everything parents do, at least I know that's what I was like anyway.

Naturally I'd love for her to take it up though

Post by **AlbyAl** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:56 pm

Damage wrote:It wasn't the surfing, he probably just got sick of you rabbiting on about Ernest Hemingway all the time.

DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP REMINDING ME!! I'm feeling guilty enough as it is. All these tissues and extra booze and pills is getting expensive.

But on the positive side: yes, I'd like to persuade him to try a surf fillum of sorts - entitled "Me Ol' Man and The Sea" it will reprise Hemingway's short story 'The Old Man and the Sea' and will be a semi-autobiographical exploration of old-surfers reminiscing about 'the big days'. (gotta put the literature to good use) We'll take the piss a bit - one thing he's already given me is an extra way to not take meself too seriously: he has a great way of (I'm a goose) at my serious announcements at the dinner table that a swell is on the way.

Post by **stinky_wes** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:13 pm

AlbyAl wrote:Me lad (19) just flew off to London the other day. He's tall, pale, thin - loves film-making and the computer...

If he loves film-making and computers so much, while he is in Europe maybe he should head to eastern europe and start up a porn website. That way he can enjoy the things he loves to do, and you can enjoy the things he loves as well

Post by **Buff_Brad** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:26 pm

stinky_wes wrote:
AlbyAl wrote:Me lad (19) just flew off to London the other day. He's tall, pale, thin - loves film-making and the computer...
If he loves film-making and computers so much, while he is in Europe maybe he should head to eastern europe and start up a porn website. That way he can enjoy the things he loves to do, and you can enjoy the things he loves as well

What fantastic advice Stinky! Especially on first day of World Youth Wank Fest. Speaking of which imagine how many homeless people could be fed properly for the cost of such a gratuitous event?

Post by **philw** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:18 pm

gratuitous hijack of this thread bradley - but i am so f*cking with you.

i've spent the whole day in and around the city (i'm a bike courier) getting more and more upset by this absurdity.

it's a transparently desperate attempt to indoctrinate the impressionable by using the same extravagant merchandizing and marketing techniques that mcdonalds uses to make people swallow sh*t food.

it's f*cking immoral! and we're paying for it!

i gotta tell you, it was like a nuremburg rally of frenzied righteous virgins out there today.

world youth day - hitler youth day more like.

anyone fancy an abortion?

Post by **puurri** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:05 pm

philw wrote:gratuitous hijack of this thread bradley - but i am so f*cking with you.

i've spent the whole day in and around the city (i'm a bike courier) getting more and more upset by this absurdity.

it's a transparently desperate attempt to indoctrinate the impressionable by using the same extravagant merchandizing and marketing techniques that mcdonalds uses to make people swallow sh*t food.

it's f*cking immoral! and we're paying for it!
i gotta tell you, it was like a nuremburg rally of frenzied righteous virgins out there today.
world youth day - hitler youth day more like.
anyone fancy an abortion?

I thought Vibes had a headlock on this one.

Post by **still here** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:06 pm

The son of some old family friends was similar , never followed his oldman into surfing and skiing .
Instead , at 19 he flew to Silicone Valley to pursue a successful career in computer industry etc .

His folks never got it , until they were invited to their kid's wedding . One of the first all male weddings in California !!

Post by **Trev** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:16 pm

Can't be taught. You've either got it or not.
I brought up 5 kids - all adults now.
Only my daughter surfs. The boys all do other things (skiing, skating, cricket, football etc).
But they all wish they were old enough to drive before I stopped driving rally cars.

Post by **mustkillmulloway** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:06 pm

AlbyAl wrote:JUNIOR DON'T SURF: I'VE FAILED!

.

regrets :? cause his happy in his life :? travelin the world :?

i don't get this whole

i surf so must my off spring thing

i've shielded my children from surfing....i've take em too swim and build sand castles....but never seen the urge so many other parents have too push into surfing as a career

i've often wondered if just me being a surfer and boards ( many) laying around the house was a bad influence

than they all got there own league teams and each w'end is bitch house as someone win others lose, so really as a parent i've been a bad enough influence

i've given each a go on a board....3 are like me....battlers....1 is...unbeliveably...a natural....she can just do it

we all hate her

shes also the one who hassles me endless be taken surfing...while the others are happy do there own thing

and like trev said...it's in some people and ( thankgod) not everyone

crowds are bad enough...but i don't feel bad about adding one more

cause she would found it herself...the stoke was there

TrevG wrote:e before I stopped driving rally cars.

more info required

maybe over a beer

Post by **Trev** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:47 pm

mustkillmulloway wrote:
TrevG wrote:t;]e before I stopped driving rally cars.
more info required

maybe over a beer

Oh! No! My 400th post and I've hijacked a thread.

Post by **SAsurfa** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:48 pm

Wow Trev

Post by **marcus_h** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:04 pm

Fiat there Trev?

Post by **Trev** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:37 pm

marcus_h wrote:Fiat there Trev?

Read my lips - "DATSUN"

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