1st Essay from the Tortola Surf Classic Essay Contest:

Konner Kendall
Age Fourteen
St. Thomas

Two Years Surfing

      I've been surfing for two years, though I've lived the lifestyle of a surfer much longer. When learning to surf, I awed at the victorious Kelly Slater and Andy Irons fighting back and forth for the glory of being world champion. I too have always dreamed of being world champion. Though last year I wasn't too good, I am now doing very good in contests in Puerto Rico and recently got second place in the Tortola Pro and I'm looking forward to this year's contest.
      That being said, it is clear how much surfing means to me. I sacrifice everything to surf and be sponsered. It is my dream like I mentioned. This may not be clear with the essay topic yet, though let me throw an example in it. Take a kid my age, fourteen years young, who is not in the best of neighborhoods and is in danger of drug abuse or other things tht could gleam to the interesting young eye. If you give this kid surfing, and he loves it as much as I do, he will not do anything that will endanger his surfing. He will do the positive things to keep surfing;not doing drugs, alchohal,etc. Instead, he will be training, practicing, things like that for contests trying to be the best in the world.
      Another thing at that, is if you give him contests to look forward too, he will learn to manage his money correctly. Before I started doing lots of contests, I was terrible at keeping track with my money. Now I can save for new boards, contests, whatever it is to give me a sliver of improvment, while at the same time still having money to spend freely.
Adding on to this, with contests, you are able to do what most can't; you get to see the world, and at a different view at that. The contests I've gone to have been amazing and I've been able to see other cultures and the way they surf. I've met new friends in different locations that now when going there, I have local connections. If you were to give our same example boy this oppertunity, he can see such things as well.
      Surfing while also keep people away from violence for the most part. Yes there may be the occasional beach fight for priority of waves, though it's a healthier enviorment with surfing than something else like a bad neighborhood. Boards are the weapons in surfing, not guns, or knifes. The rivarly war in the water during heats goes away after the end buzzer.
In conclusion, no matter who you are, as long as your first wave is good, surfing will always be your drug. The rush of getting that wave will lways be with you and keeping you to progress. If you do an air, you'll want to do it higher, get a barrel, you want to stay in it longer, snaps, you want to do them with more spray. Basically what I'm trying to say, is if you give people, with failing home lifes, surfing, it can solve a lot of their problems. Making my own saying here,"If you give a man waves, he'll be amazed for a day, give a man a surfboard and the skills, he'll be amazed for a lifetime."

2nd Essay from the Tortola Surf Classic Essay Contest:

Tommy Gibney
Age Fifteen

St John USVI
Surfing- 5 years consistantly 

                                                   Positive Differences

    “Surfing “ has made huge differences in my life in the past 5 years.  All of these differences have been for the better of my life , and the people around me. The person who is mostly affected by my surfing would have too be my mom. Surfing inspires me every day to make a positive difference in my life. Surfing is not like other sports , once you get your first wave you'll remember it forever, and its what makes you go back every single day for more.
    Surfing keeps me entertained , wether it be me physically surfing or sitting at home watching surf movies. Surfing keeps me out of trouble ; instead of being on the streets and partying , i would rather stay home and be well rested. It makes a difference on food choices and intake, surfing makes you want to be a healthy human being mentally and physically. Surfing is mostly an independent sport, you can go out there and do what ever you want, and no one can tell you anything. Being out there by your self in your own mind setting allows you to clear you mind of a bad day and turn it into a good day.  When surfing it allows you too reflect on past events and make better decisions for the future.
    Surfing has allowed me too travel more frequently doing what i love to do. In November of 2010 i traveled to puerto rico, but it wasn't too go shopping for material possessions, it was a trip that ill remember till the day i die. Ke11y Slater won his 10 world title ( a record the will more than likely never be broken) or the death of 3 time title holder Andy Irons , one of the most tragic losses in surfing history.  The trip really opened my mind too see what is out there. More recently I traveled to the island and country of Barbados for the first time , another experience of a life time. Competed in the Independence pro junior(and got my butt handed to me) , will definitely try too be back next year.
    Surfing is a sport that puts people in a good mood , and positive vibes. When i get older and it is my time too find my niche in the world , i want it too be around surfing , doing what i love too do every single day.
    Would like too thank my mom for supporting me 100 percent , and understanding the addiction of surfing.

 3rd essay posting from the Tortola Surf Classic Essay Contest:

Lyric Vacharat
Age 8

St. John, USVI
2 Years of surfing experience

    How surfing has changed me and my friends

    My name is Lyric Vacharat and I've been surfing for just two years. I got my first surfboard when I was six. It was a soft board and a present for getting perfect grades in school all year. I got another surfboard for my birthday from friends who love to surf. It is a hard board and I can stand up on it. I surf at Reef Bay on St. John. Oh, and I'm 8.
     Surfing has made me feel proud. It has changed a lot of stuff. It makes me feel proud because when I just stand on that board, I feel like I'm getting reborn, you know! And it makes my life open and shine and fun and happy!!
     My favorite part of surfing is that I get to hang out with my friends. I am also proud that I can surf and I live in a place where I can surf.
     The surf competition last year in Tortola was fun because you got to surf new waves and meet a lot of new people. The trophies made it more tempting for me to do it. Where are our tshirts?
     My friends love to surf because they can go to new places and meet new friends. They love to be in the ocean and it is good exercise. My mom started to surf the same time as me. She likes it because it’s learning something new every time. My mom says I can’t paddle to Johnson’s Reef until I’m twelve. Good rule. I’m going to surf for the rest of my life.

4th essay posting from the Tortola Surf Classic Essay Contest:

My name is Keegan Bertrand Mays
I'm 12 years old and I live in St.John U.S.V.I.
I've been surfing for 3 months and I love it!

                                                            "Surf Inspiration"

    Surfing has inspired me by the feeling I get when I catch a wave. The feeling you get while surfing is kinda like life sometimes waves are smooth and calm with perfect formation and other times there crumbly like a cookie with no formation whatsoever. Surfing has inspired me to make a positive difference because its another one of those things that make you feel so happy while your doing it and I want to be able to feel and to spread that happiness in life.
    From the time I caught my first wave I was pumped to get up real early and go to the beach and hope the surf report was right. While waiting in the backseat with my board beside me driving down to the beach I always think…when my mom and I arrive I will see the perfect wave breaking over the reef.
    The day before I started going to a new school I asked my mom if I could get my school work a day early when we knew there was a swell coming so I could skip school and surf. I asked my mom this because I think the feeling you get from surfing is such an amazing thing that it feels like a meaningful way to get educated.  After surfing I learn about what it feels like to drop in down a steep face of a wave or how in everyday life sometimes you might wipe out but you just have to get back on your board and catch the next one.  I can apply things that I learn from surfing in school and in life.
    I know that surfing makes a positive difference in the people around me, because, whenever I'm sitting on my board waiting for a set wave all of the surfers around me are always talking and having conversations and laughing and having fun with each other.  Even when people aren't talking it's still fun to be sitting out on the water and get the feeling that everything is connected.      Surfing isn't all about the competition and the paddle battles, it is also a really good way to get together with your friends and meet new people.  Surfing has the power to bring people together and spread the feeling of happiness. 
    There are especially two people that helped me learn how to surf.  Oli and Dax.  These two friends work with my mom at the Cinnamon Bay Wind and Surf shack. When my mom and I had just moved to St. John I was home-schooled and I spent a whole lot of time down at the beach.  So I really got to know Oli and Dax. 
    Oli is the one who helped me overcome riding bigger waves and getting over the fact the there was sharp scary coral heads beneath me.  He helped me overcome this by telling me, "You have to just go for it, if you don't go for it you'll chicken out then you'll just sit there and watch the wave roll under you."
    Then, there was Dax who paddled out with me even when the water was dead flat.  Dax helped me learn to paddle with endurance by telling me, "There is a huge wave coming, paddle and don't look back." 
    I soon found out that he was holding my leash and I wasn't moving an inch.  This encouraged me to never look back at a wave and paddle my heart out. 
    I love putting a fresh coat of wax on my board when I'm getting ready to go out in the water, it smells like bubblegum and makes you want to put a coat of wax on whenever you get a chance.  Putting wax on a board is like standing up for yourself in life because it will help you stay standing strong without falling down. 
    On the beginning of my journey in life surfing will help me at times when I need an extra coat of wax to help me stand strong and not give up.  I hope surfing can bring happiness to not only me, but to my friends, family and even people I don't know.  Someday, I know I will travel the world and see surfing through more than just my own eyes.  Surfing is happiness and I know it makes a positive difference in my life and those around me.

THE END…
…is just the beginning!

5th essay posting from the Tortola Surf Classic Essay Contest:

Cody Merritt
14
St. Thomas U.S. V.I.
4 years of surfing

Why Surfing is a Good Sport

     Surfing is a great sport. It is fun, you get to hang out with your friends and surf at the same time. Surfing is also a good sport to steer you away from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. This is because surfing also keeps people healthy and very fit. Here are some reasons why surfing can help keep you away from bad habits and how it keeps you healthy.
     Once you start surfing you are going to love it. It's a joy to everyone. Ask anyone that surfs and they will say that surfing is so much fun. Surfing is not only fun but it is a good work out. You may think because you're not sweating you are not working out, but you don't feel it because water is surrounding you cooling you off. Surfing gets you stronger by paddling, pushing up to stand up and standing on the board for all those rides. These things get you a lot stronger. If you start to drink, do drugs, and smoke cigarettes all of this will go to waste. Doing these three things can ruin your health that you worked up through surfing and it will make you become very weak.
     Surfing has made a positive difference in my life. The reasons why are because when I surf I want to get better each time. I think surfing can help a lot of people. It will make them want to surf instead of doing drugs or all those bad things. Surfing is a sport that will become addicting. At least in my eyes its addicting. Would you rather be addicted to something that can turn your life around that will make you healthy or be addicted to something that is definitely going to ruin your life. I would chose surfing if I were you. For me surfing is my addiction and no other addiction can stop it.