ROSS WILLIAMS HAWAI‘I’S OWN ROSS WILLIAMS
Joli
Pau Hana /
By Lauren Rolland
The perks of working the Dream Tour.
t the start of this year, the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) announced their core commentary team for the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour (WCT). Ross Williams, along with Pat Parnell, Joe Turpel, Martin Potter, Peter Mel, Rosy Hodge, Todd Kline, Strider Wasilewski and Ronnie Blakey now light up the webcasts at every event on the WCT, which consists of eleven stops throughout the year. On a brief return to Oahu, Ross has some breathing room before the next event and the family man will hang home, enjoy the company of his wife and three young daughters and get some late season surfing in. “Ironically, I think I surf more when I’m at home,” Ross mentions. Since he and the other commentators remain busy throughout each event, surfing comes next to the job expectations. But this career does allow for some decent water time, and somehow they’re able to squeeze in a session between the early wake up calls, morning shows and 8 to10 hour days commentating. Ross not only stays involved with the industry, but also with the ocean and traveling the globe. To maintain a career in surfing is all he could ask for in life. Part of the Momentum generation of surfers who made an impact during the 90’s (which also included pros like Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Rob Machado and Taylor Knox), Ross is known for his time on tour (10+ years), freelance writing for publications like SURFER Magazine and ESPN.com, coaching 15-year-old surfer Noa Mizuno and now, joining the commentating team for the ASP World Championship Tour. “It’s a great job for former athletes because of their wealth of knowledge, experience and respect in the sport,” Ross describes. “They know it.” Ross knows it through and through. The surfer’s trajectory in surfing has been well executed. From going pro during his senior year in high school to regular finishes in the top 15 on the ASP World Tour, the Pupukea local knew at a young age that surfing was his path and passion. At around age 30, Ross suffered a bad ankle break, which shifted him from the competitive field into a different life altogether- becoming a husband and father. The toughest part of Ross’s job today isn’t the long days on camera and it isn’t the pressure of being on point 100% of the time. Those aspects are where Ross excels. The toughest part of the job is being away from home and away from family. As with all things though, there is counterbalance. Ross expresses that the coolest part of the new gig is the travel aspect. “For more than one reason,” he explains. “The places themselves are awesome, but it’s also memories for me. These are all places I’ve been before, so it’s nice to be able to revisit those memories.” Experiencing the world (and its waves) is touted as one of the best aspects of a pro surfer’s life. And the professional 150