Jun 06, 2023

Yay For The Surf Cheerleaders!

There’s something pretty special about surf cheerleaders — maybe they’re mates, your surf girl gang, or maybe you only know each other through chats in the surf carpark — but there’s absolutely nothing better than someone giving you a yew or a whistle while you’re cruising down the line. Or maybe a surf cheerleader will give you a compliment on your wave as you paddle back to join the line-up. Some of us can be a bit down on ourselves with our surfing ability, so we say the more surf cheerleaders and hype girls in the line-up, the better.

The hype girl has more than just a positive effect on the surfer, it spreads positive vibes to everyone in the line-up. Mason says, ‘I think having your own surf cheerleaders is pretty fun, especially if you've got a good girl gang. If you see some of the girls you hang out with in the water on a wave, cheer them on. I think having people that lift you up when you're surfing is awesome. When people are cheering you on, it's good vibes out in the water. ’

Brisa is lucky to have her mother as her biggest hype girl. ‘There is so much yelling and screaming and wooing when we go surfing together. She's one of the reasons why I surf. She is my biggest supporter, my best cheerleader, and she's always there for me. You have to make sure you surround yourself with great people that hype you up, especially in the water.’ Not only does it feel great when you have your hype girls, but it can give you the confidence to maybe try something new or paddle into a bigger wave than you normally would. Having her mum as her biggest hype girl has certainly helped Brisa’s surfing as she won the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach in 2022, her best result on tour so far.

What else does the camaraderie between surfers do other than bring the vibes, give us confidence and make a surf extra fun? It sets a great example for the younger groms in the line-up. Jamaica has noticed, ‘One of the most important things is when there's younger kids out in the surf, they need to see from the older people we're out there to have fun.’ It’s official, surfing cheerleaders make surfing better, not just for the surfer being cheered on, but for every other surfer sharing the line-up.