Written by Nicholas Paoni, Photographed by Nicholas Paoni and Bryan Johnson.
It feels free. Sometimes it’s fast. When the waves are big it can be a little scary. That’s how Shea Sherman, the Encinitas Board Riders Club, Rider of the month of July, describes what it’s like to ride the waves; and she should know. At the ripe old age of 14, she has already been surfing for around 7 years.
She is a two-sport, student athlete, playing Lacrosse for fun and competing in surfing events. When the surf is up she typically spends 3-4 hours a day in the water, and the practice has paid off. She surfs competitively in the USA Prime and National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) leagues. This year she was invited to compete in US Champs. At Oak Crest Middle School she was a member of the NSSA California State Championship team.
She is the only member of her family that rides and credits the Eli Howard Surf School with teaching her. Her surfing role models are Stephanie Gilmore and Rob Machado, and I noticed she was also riding one of Rob’s boards. Like her role models, she has aspirations to someday turn pro, but if not, to continue to ride for the pure enjoyment of it.
During her interview Shea was reserved, soft spoken and maybe a little shy. But then there was the moment when we started talking about her participation in the Board Riders Wahine surfing clinic for girls, age 10 and under. She was a coach for both years of the event. Her face lit up with excitement as we shared our impressions of this amazing event that introduces young girls to the sport of surfing. I think there is a moment in every interview when you can get a small glimpse of the true character of an athlete, and this was Shea’s. As pleased as she was with her competitive accomplishments, she appeared truly excited about being able to share her experience with the next generation of female riders, and that told me a lot about who she is.
