Bodyboarder HQ Exclusive!

BBHQ:How long have you been bodyboarding?

JR:Since 1979, so that's 17 years

BBHQ:How did you get into the pro scene?

JR:I started by winning an amateur event on the East Coast and qualifying for the first-ever Morey World Championships at Pipe in 1982, and I went there and met some of my heros. Then, after I graduated from Uni in 1986, I moved to California and joined the Pro Tour.

BBHQ:How did you go about getting your sponsors?

JR:As an amateur in 1980, I went into a surf shop and asked the owner how to get on his bodyboarding team. He said to wait and see how I did in the local contests. After doing well and getting a couple of photos in the local paper, he put me on the team and eventually helped my get wetsuit and clothing sponsors as well as a board sponsor. The key was convincing the companies that I could get positive exposure for them. Now, I write to companies and approach them with my resume' and sometimes a video about myself. Being businesslike and professional is what it's all about.

BBHQ:What do you think of the bodyboarding as a sport at the moment?

JR:I believe that the mood of our sport has changed a lot over the years. It used to be a sport that was strictly clean-cut, more family oriented. Now I see a lot more of the hard core, extreme sport influence coming in. A lot of bodyboarders are punkers, skaters, snowboarders, whatever...the sport is more edgy now, and it's pushing the limits.

BBHQ:What are your goals for the future?

JR:My immediate goals are to finish the GOB Tour in the top 16. For next year, I want to hopefully sign new contracts with all of my sponsors and continue to push the age envelope for being a pro. I learn something new every year, and I want to keep improving. I also want to help professional bodyboarding gain popularity as an extreme sport. Finally, I want to surf new places that other bodyboarders haven't visited yet.

JR:That's it

Many thanks to Jay Reale for this interview