======== Newsgroups: alt.surfing Subject: Fast Eddie of Ohio, Meet Big Edouard of the Atlantic From: Foondoggy Date: 9 Sep 1996 21:09:01 GMT Too long but a story that had to be told without cutting corners. Get a beer- They say the future of any sport can be seen in the kids participating at an early age. I have seen the future of surfing and IT IS AWESOME!!! I first met Fast Eddie (I nicknamed him for reasons you will see) as he walked over the dune path early one morning on the way to the beach. He looked to be about 9 years old, small and real skinny. His leg and arm bones were growing out of proportion to his body and he looked somewhat clumsy - but he walked like a cat, graceful and surefooted. By way of breaking the conversational ice I commented, "Nice Boogieboard," recognizing it as the Mach 7x7 with the creased and bubbled bottom I had thrown into the dumpster last summer. "Thanks." Eddie said, "I found it last year when we were on vacation." I seems Eddie and his parents and sister had been coming to our resort town all the way from Ohio, for 3 years for a 2 week vacation every August. They were staying in a rental property next to my place. I offered Eddie the use of some small fins I had, if he wanted. He said matter- of- factly, "No thanks. I stand up now. I could have used them last year when I was a kook and didn't stand." (out of the mouths of babes, I thought). Eddie also did not use a leash. I was soon to find out why. The surf that morning was excellent, waist to chest, slight offshore breeze, incoming tide and few people out. I figured we had about 2-3 hours before the wind tides and crowds would force us out of the water. Plus there was always the hope that Edouard's threat of swells would begin to show up early. My first surprize (of many that day) was seeing Eddie kneepaddle the bodyboard out, and real fast too. By time I was half way out, Eddie was catching his first wave, and so began my day of watching the Amazing Fast Eddie of Ohio. Consider this in the first hour or so of our session: 1.He caught and stood on EVERY wave that came near him. 2.From the back of the wave, he appeared to be riding a surfboard until he started doing things like: 3.720s & 1080s - spinning like a top changing ends of the board at will. 4.Five floaters on one wave - 2 frontside, 2 backside and one BACKWARDS, which he claimed later was a mistake. 5.Since Eddie was small, maybe 50 lbs. soaking wet, and about 4.5 feet tall, he would stand on his board outside the break to watch for waves! He NEVER fell off!. 6.While standing still on his board, Eddie could catch waves by just moving his feet forward quickly, if the waves were steep enough. I saw him do this once and asked him if he could do it again, which he did. When I could not believe this was possible he said he did it when he got bored knee paddling for waves! Eddie had one of those skinny little kid bodies that folded up like a beach chair. When he squated down he sat flat footed with his butt resting on his heels. On every wave Eddie would perform some amazing feet of balance or technique. He rarely fell off and would milk broken waves as thoroughly as unbroken ones, he didn't perceive the difference. Later, with my friend Tank, we introduced ourselves to Eddie's parents. His Dad was a high precision machinist, his Mom worked in a fabric store. We learned Eddie got the surfing bug when he was 7 and was totally consumed by his desire to surf. He had magazines, posters, videos and all sorts of accessories & clothes -but no surfboard. Eddie's Dad said they could not afford to get such and expensive piece of equipment for just 2 weeks a year. Also, they wanted Eddie to work and save for one so he would appreciate it more. They thought Eddies fascination with the sport my be a "phase". He was also a very talented skateboarder (rode an 8 ft halfpipe regularly) and aspiring gymnast. Least you think Fast Eddie was just some tweeked out trickster let me tell you the kid had done his homework. On many waves Eddie would pick the cleanest and most graceful lines anyone could get. He often paid homage to classic surfing style by striking the most perfect Quasimodos, cheater 5s or beautiful Soul Arch poses you could imagine. Rarely had I seen such a combination of raw talent, poise and physical grace in the form of a little kid. As Tank and I sat and watched this kid catch and perform on wave after wave Tank said to me still staring at the 3 ft of air Eddie had just completed, "Foon, have you EVER seen anything like this kid? We gotta get this one on a surfboard." When the tide had changed the surf into just a big dumping shorebreak, Eddie attacked riding from the front of the wave. Standing on the beach he would run down the steep slope and launch himself and the boogieboard toward the face of the wave just like a skim boarder. Eddie and board would hit the shallow water in a crouch, then when his horizontal speed was converted to vertical height, Eddie would unfold, tear a terrible gash off the lip of the crashing wave, turn 180 degrees and speed down the face up to the shore. He did this not a few times, but a whole hour NONSTOP! We called him over and suggested he should try to do some "airs" using that technique, which he proceeded to do in two tries. Next, "how bout a 360 crouching rollo, then come down standing up?" Tank looked at me whispering "Ten dollars says he won't come close." Well shit yeah, this is a tough move to pull off. In two attempts Tank was already reaching for his wallet 'cause it only took Fast Eddie four tries to NAIL IT! That night Tank asked me to come over. In his garage he was working on an old G&S 5'2" Twin fin Fish which his own son had used years ago. After fixing a few dings and cleaning it up, Tank held it up and said, "Eddie's new stick." The next morning we made the presentation to Eddie and his parents. Eddie looked stunned but delerious. His Dad did not look happy and his Mom looked worried. Eddie's Dad said uncomfortably, "Thank you, Mr.Tank, but we know how much these things cost and I don't feel right accepting this from a stranger, nothing personal." Eddie's Mom added, "We thought when Eddie got a board, he would work for it." Tank appeared thoughtful and then said, "Oh he'll work for it alright. Here's the deal. Eddie gets exclusive use of the board for the rest of his vacation on two conditions. Next year when you come back, if Eddie gets straight A's in school, the board is his." His Mom began to smile and said, "He can handle that." Eddie's Dad put his hand up to his mouth to surpress a spreading grin. Eddie went wide-eyed and began to look for the loophole in the deal. "How 'bout a C+?" Tank looked down and said, "Straight A's" Eddie tried again, "How 'bout a B average?" "Straight A's" Once more, "OK, honor roll?" Tank looked mildly amused. "What is it Eddie? Do you think this board is not worth all the effort to get good grades? 'Cause I guarantee you son, once you get on this little rocket you will never ever ride a body board again." Tank looked up at me with a look that said "Shut you piehole, Foon." Eddie looked defeated, and ecstatic all a once. He looked at his Dad, who not being able to surpress his smile anymore nodded and said, "It's your deal, son, shake on it." Eddie's tiny hand was lost in Tank's big mitt. Then with a whoop that could be heard for several blocks, he grabbed the little stick and began to bolt for the ocean. He stopped abruptly and said, "What's the second condition?" Tank laughed, "Well Eddie, Mr.Foondoggy and I have observed that you are the King of the snake. You take absolutely ever wave as though it was your own. Now I know because you only get to ride 2 weeks a year you think you should be allowed every wave, but that's not how it works. Foondoggy here will teach you the rules and etiquette of surfing and you'd better do as he says." Eddie's Dad chuckled and said, "This could be the deal breaker, Eddie can't resist any wave. He's in perpetual motion, from dawn til dusk. I've never seen a kid with so much energy." Eddie's Dad and Tank began to talk and Tank asked if he could call and check up on Eddie during the year. During the conversation Tank found out He and Eddie's Dad were both Ex Jarheads (Marines). Well if you don't think that opened the floodgates. I wandered down on the beach to watch Eddie remove the leash, "I won't need it, I'll never lose this board." I talked with Eddie for about 30 minutes about the differences between riding a surfboard and a bodyboard. He understood and instantly absorbed everything I said. It took Eddie a little over an hour to get the Fish wired but once he found the secret, he was honking! He even figured out how to pop those fins for a tail release. Later on Tank joined me and said if things went OK, next year Eddie's Dad might agree to send him out 2 weeks early to stay with Tank and get some real waveriding in. Tank said, "I've got a real good feeling about this kid Foon, he's bright, quick, athletic, very competative and he loves the sport. We gotta get him in some Menehune contests." As I looked out at Eddie's fifth attempt to do the 360 rollo on the Fish, I said, "Keeeeeeeyrist Tank, what have we done here!!?" Tank looked at me and said, "What we've done here, Foonboy, is launch another generation of surfers, with what appears to be incredible potential, and we've made a little boy very happy." I nodded agreement as I stared down the beach and watch Eddie's little sister, LISA, kneepaddle the boogieboard for the first time. She spun around and caught the first wave,then stood up. Outside Eddie was getting a real taste of surfing as Edouard started to bring to town some of the most spectacular 4 days of killer and classic waves we've ever seen on the Right Coast. The Kid was just amazing! -Foondoggy (The kid is a righteous rider)