Women and Girls' Surfing Profiles – Corinne Carew
Story Dharma Mum – Gayla Schaefer
Photos Courtesy of Carew Family
Eighth grader, Corinne Carew, grew up thinking that everyone surfed.
By the time she was three-years-old, Carew was already swimming like a fish and her dad, long time East Coast soul surfer, Blaine Carew, took her out to catch her first wave off the Cocoa Beach Pier.
"I remember I was terrified," said her proud mother, Alexia. "She was on the board with Daddy and I wanted her to wear a big fluorescent orange vest."
No dorky vests for this sweet wahine! (Sorry, Mom!)
"I did not even think it was an option not to surf," she said. "That's what you did when you were big enough to get on a surfboard, at least in my family. I thought everyone was like that when I was little and could not wait to get on a surfboard. In my mind, it was not normal if you did not surf."
A goofy-foot surfer, Corinne is now also an All-Star competitive and school cheerleader as well. She has stuck it out in the waves with her dad, and now also her younger brother, Cameron, even after realizing that not all families on the East Coast hit the beach each weekend.
"Because I am heavily involved in a team sport, I really enjoy surfing as a one person sport where I rely on myself and it's just me and the wave. It helps me to collect my thoughts. It also helps me as an athlete because it's a good workout! I love the water!"
Preferring to surf the Pier or 2nd Light on her custom Starr board, Carew said she paddled out alone and caught her first wave without her dad when she was 10. She is looking forward to traveling to Pavones Costa Rica with her dad to catch the big waves he told her about a few years ago when he returned from a surf excursion there scheduled through Surf Express.
"I can't wait to take my wife and my kids the next time," said her dad, Blaine, who has been surfing along the Eastern Seaboard for more than 20 years now.
"Lots of my friends have gone to surf school or just tag along with me and Daddy," said Corinne. "He's always teaching one of my friends and pushing them into waves."
Having known (and set up) her parents since we were kids, I feel very protective of my little surfer girl. I introduced her parents when we were just a few years older than she is now. Yikes!
Her mom and I still marvel at how accepted it is now for the girls in the water. Although Mimi Munro just told me today she never once had an experience where she felt like she wasn't accepted in the surf, when we were kids we only knew one gal who walked the waves with the boys and it never really occurred to us we could join her. How great that Corinne never has to feel any of that!
A few years back, Corinne was able to start surfing not just with dear ol' dad but also with her little brother. She also placed third in a teenie wahine contest sponsored by Surfet a few years back.
"We always surf together and we actually get along when we're surfing," she laughed.
Although she now splits her time between a busy middle school schedule, several cheer practices, games and competitions each week, Corinne still hits the beach anytime the waves are good size and rideable – which she says for her means "not too big, not too small."
Although no one mentioned it when I interviewed them for the story, one reason I wanted to profile Corinne has to do with the impact I think surfing has had on her young life. From such an early age I can recall her parents telling me how surfing was "Dad's time" with Corinne – where he really got to know and connect with her. It also helped her forge a very strong sense of self identity that has served her well in the peer pressure years of middle school.
Her parents have always made sure she knows how important she is to them, and I think that is reflected now in her grades and her drive to succeed. The kid stuck posters of her favorite college (not team mind you – college) on her walls before she was out of elementary school and is already making plans to become a neuro-surgeon – or medical examiner.
Whatever she decides, I know she will succeed and I know she will keep on surfing.
She is a cool kid and I wanted to share her story with you.
If you have ideas for women or girls to profile here, contact me at Gayla.Schaefer@gmail.com or post ideas in our forum areas...
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