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Erin Brooks, who is only 15 years old, is breaking into the surfing scene and building her reputation one wave at a time. Brooks is the first woman to reach the final and the youngest participant in Rip Curl Cup history in Padang Padang, Indonesia.
In a recent interview with Olympics.com, Brooks talked about not considering herself a professional surfer yet. She said:
"I actually don't consider myself as a professional surfer. I still feel like, I'm just a kid out there just surfing and having fun."
Erin Brooks talks about surfing and her life
While watching the development of the sport in real-time, Erin Brooks has defeated men twice her age and stature and outperformed some of the most well-known surfers in the world.
Erin learned to surf in just six years. The teen sensation was born in Boerne, the county capital of Kendall County, Texas, roughly 160 miles inland from the ocean and about the same distance away from Waco's wonder tub.
In a fun interview with Olympics.com, Erin Brooks talked about her favorite surfers being Carissa Moore and Kolohe Andino, and her will to become just like them.
She later talked about how much she loves to be in the water, travel around the world, and surf the 'perfect waves' with family and friends.
But the surf did not really take off until the family relocated to Maui when Erin was nine years old. When a buddy asked Erin if she wanted to go with her for a surf lesson back then, Erin was playing tennis at the time. She said:
"When I was nine years old I moved to O'ahu. We lived on the island of Maui. And the first few days I moved there, I got invited to a surf lesson. And then from the first wave, that's when I knew that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life."
Erin later talked about the dangerous waves and new tracks, but all she remembers about going into the water is the work she has done. She said:
"I definitely get really scared in bigger waves. And, new tracks that I haven't tried that may be dangerous. But I just have to (remember) all the work that I've done to get to that point and then trust in myself and believed in myself."
She also talked about why she can never hesitate and goes to the water with full force. She also talked about the learning her father gave her, adding:.
"My dad always says, 'Hesitation leads to devastation.' So, I can't hesitate, I just have to go full force and hopefully I'll make it. But if I don't I'll just try again."
Erin Brooks then talked about her school life and her hectic schedule due to surfing and how she manages all of it:
"It's way more fun than school. Sometimes it's hard. I'll have trips or a contest before and I'll have to put in lots of hours. So I don't have the stress that I'll fall behind. But I feel like getting to travel all over the world, I learn more just getting to experience different things that kids might not."
In the end, Erin reveals her love for different languages. She said:
"I can speak English, Spanish and I'm learning Indonesian. I feel like learning languages is great."
With age on her side and her incredible performances so far, Erin Brooks definitely has a chance to end up as a great surfer across the globe.
