From a young age Justin David Lewis decided to go by JD.
Initial resistance to this from his first grade teacher gave way when a second Justin transferred into the class. Out of necessity she relented and he became JD from that point onwards.
JD, who was born and raised here in Cardiff, has been surfing since the age of ten. He was taught by his father. At that time dads and sons had a Sunday Surf Club and would meet at Pipes, then head out to surf.
JD is a competitor. Growing up he competed in baseball and soccer. Around the age of 12 he decided to focus on competitive surfing and found that he excelled at that sport. The first competition that he did was the Rob Machado Contest at Cardiff Reef. He then started competing in the NSSA Junior series and advanced to NSSA. He subsequently surfed in the ASP Pro Junior League, which was 21 years and under. Eventually he started competing in local QS events and a few events abroad.
The competition was stiff. Many of his contemporaries were home schooled and he felt if he could do the same he would have more time to practice and gain on his competitors. His family decided against it. Looking back on that decision he said that attending in-person classes helped him in ways that surfing couldn’t. At that age he wasn’t particularly social and the school environment helped him to engage more with other students. Also he was inspired by a woman named Courtney Conlogue who had a successful surfing career even though she only got to surf on the weekends. So he realized that it was possible to be successful by making the most of quality practice time.
JD’s dream was to go pro and he felt the most clear about his future at age 16. He knew exactly who he was and what he wanted to be: a pro surfer. Eventually however, his dream pushed up against economic reality. At the age of 22 he lost his major sponsor. He then decided to push for another year. He gave himself a timeline to find another major sponsor or a path to income. He was making money surfing, but questioned whether he could make a living at it. A decision point came when his girlfriend was relocating to the East Coast for school, and he decided to go with her. He told his sponsors that he was no longer able to help them and set a new course for his future.
The course change has certainly paid off. His girlfriend is now his wife and they have a son and another on the way. JD also has his own business working as a strength and mechanics-based trainer. His background means that he has a lot to offer surfers, but believes that anyone can benefit, especially as they grow older and more prone to injury.
I asked JD whether he planned to bring his boys up surfing. He said that there wouldn’t be any pressure, it would be up to them to decide. Smart money says they’ll be riding the waves along with their Dad. You see, they come from an amazing surfing pedigree. He and his brother, Matt, are awesome rippers, and their Dad is a great surfer. JD and Matt have both worn the orange jersey in competition for the Encinitas Board Riders Club.
On the one hand this is JD’s story. On the other hand it is one that unfolds countless times, as families of gifted athletes try to balance training with education; home schooling vs. in-person learning. Then at some point the athlete will ultimately need to reconcile the allure of surfing professionally with the necessity of supporting themselves, and maybe a family, in an increasingly expensive financial environment.
I asked JD if he had any advice for the next generation of riders, and he didn’t. He rightly said that everyone’s situation is different and needs to be individually addressed. In my opinion, JD has provided a model for success.
Text and photos by Nicholas Paoni
