The. Next. Big. Thing. From boards to gear to swells to forecasting, the foremost name of the game in surfing these days is high performance progression. Unless of course your name happens to be Hamilton and your parents are regarded as the uber Alpha male and female in beach and water sports. And in that case the progression everyone is tracking is your own.
In a recent Breezy Mama article, Reece Viola, the 5-year-old daughter of legendary waterman Laird Hamilton and volleyball pro Gabrielle Reece, is showing marked signs of athletic prowess in a variety of sports—including surfing. Now before you start rolling your eyes, let it be said that Laird and Gabrielle are in no way interested in being overbearing sideline parents.
“My husband always jokes that they are unfulfilled athletes. And they are trying to live vicariously through their children, which is THE biggest mistake you could ever do.”
Well said, Gabby. And believe me there will be millions of families hawking you from their armchairs, taking notes on how raising a future world pro should be done. Sorry guys, but if you thought living under the glare of the paparazzi was a pain, just wait ’til you meet up with the surf mom confederacy.
