ESA All-Star Zach Starr washing off the jet lag on his first day surfing the North Shore. Photo: Krissy Torelli
The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA)’s All-Stars have started their adventures on the North Shore of Oahu this week. Coach Jason Motes, along with several chaperones and parents, arrived in Hawaii on Wednesday with many of the boys who make up the All-Star Team. The All-Star girls will arrive next week for the same experience.
“The ESA All-Stars are some of the best surfers, and ESA representatives, in the organization,” said ESA executive director Michelle Sommers. “Bringing these East Coast champions to the best waves in the world to learn from the best is an opportunity of a lifetime for each team member.”
The ESA All-Star Hawaii trip is for the older team members to be teammates together instead of always competing against each other. Along with valuable coaching from surfing and sports legends, including Tamayo & Emilia Perry, Shane Beschen and Kid Peligro, ESA All-Star team members learn how to respect one another as competitors, and create lasting friendships and memories.
The first day proved why the North Shore is the pinnacle for every surfer. A fresh NW swell arrived just in time to provide the boys a fun playground for their first day in the Aloha State.
All-Star Blayr Barton proves that the East Coast has a lot of talented surfers. Photo: Krissy Torelli
“We could not have asked for a better first day of surf to get our feet wet,” said ESA All-Star coach Jason Motes. “All of the boys were charging solid surf that made me proud to represent the East Coast out here.”
Motes, along with All-Star Committee members Pam Hill, Lenny Nichols, Krissy Torelli and Jeanine Montgomery, have created a successful plan to give those who come to Hawaii a memorable experience.
“Hawaii is the proving ground for serious surfers,” adds Motes. “It’s the highest level of coaching that the ESA can provide. We want to offer ESA All-Star members an opportunity that they will not get anywhere else.”
All-Stars who are aging out of the program and/or progressing into surfing professional events still come back to help mentor the newer team members. Kainalu Nichols from New Hampshire and Cole Deveney from New Jersey are here this week to work with the boys.
Savage Surfboards is offering a custom-shaped surfboard for an online raffle to benefit the ESA All-Star Team. To make a donation and receive a chance to win, please visit https://go.rallyup.com/322e74
Be sure to follow the ESA and ESA All-Stars on Instagram and Facebook for daily photos posted by Coach Motes and Krissy Torelli. Terry Reis from Surf Shooter Hawaii will be filming the team for videos throughout their week.
For more information on the ESA All-Stars, please visit https://surfesa.org/allstars/