Youth movement

Mike Sciacca

The fresh-faced young athletes facing a small but supportive audience

at Pier Plaza symbolized a fresh start in the world of junior

surfing.

They were blond, brunette and tanned, and another common bond they

shared was that each possessed an undeniable talent for riding

swells.

They were introduced during a Dec. 2 seaside ceremony as members

of the USA surf team. Decked out in red-white-and-blue jackets, the

19-member squad was presented to the public for the first time, and

it was fitting that the beginning of the new program should make its

debut in Surf City.

The official USA surf team will represent the country in upcoming

international surfing competitions.

“It’s been a longtime coming,” said Michael Gerard, executive

director of Huntington Beach-based Surfing America, of the newly

formed team.

The USA team surfers -- all high school students -- come from

Hawaii, South Carolina and Florida, and six of them hail from Orange

County.

Huntington Beach High School sophomore Chris Welpman -- who, his

coach, Andy Verdone, said is the No. 1 bodyboarder in the nation --

is the lone Surf City athlete on the team.

Perhaps the most recognized team member is Bethany Hamilton, the

14-year-old surfer from Hanalei, Hawaii, who made news headlines

after being attacked by a shark in Oct. 2003.

Hamilton lost her left arm as a result of that attack.

The USA surf team, whose head coach is former world champion Peter

“PT” Townend, held its first official practice prior to introductions

and competed against the Huntington Beach High School surf team,

which was in attendance during team introductions.

A round-robin tournament during the summer determined the members

of the program’s inaugural team, and a new USA surf team will be

selected next year.

The current squad left Friday for Tahiti to compete in its first

International Surfing Assn. Event -- the ISA Quiksilver Junior World

Championships.

It’s the team’s first attempt to restore the country’s status as a

major amateur surfing powerhouse in international competition.

No U.S. surfing team has won a world title since 1996.

“American teams have been slipping in the last 10 years, mostly because of lack of support,” said Gerard, who accepted a key to the

city from Mayor Cathy Green during the introduction ceremony. “But

with this newly appointed team, we have the full support of the surf

industry and the city of Huntington Beach. It’s just great.”

Support and sponsorship in the surf industry has come from the

likes of Billabong, Body Glove, O’Neill, OP, Quiksilver, Reef and Rip

Curl.

The USA surf team is under the guidance of Surfing America, which

is headquartered in Huntington Beach and was named this year as the

national governing body for amateur surfers.

Surfing America will offer national training programs and

competition guidance to athletes.

San Clemente High School student Colleen Mehlberg, captain of the

girls’ team, said the program is taking amateur surfing in the right

direction.

“It’s a great stepping stone for youth surfing in America,” she

said of the team. “I know for me, it’s a dream come true to be going

to Tahiti.”

Mehlberg said she and her teammates will be missing school to

travel to Tahiti, but she, indeed, intends to keep up on her school

work.

“The teachers at my school have been very supportive,” she said.

“I know I will be studying on the plane and in my hotel room, and

doing homework.

“It’s tough, but it’s definitely worth it.”

Gerard also said during the introduction ceremony that Surfing

America and Huntington Beach will host the 2005 World Junior Surfing

Championships and the 2006 World Surfing Games.