tag a grommet - for habitat research and breeding potential

jdc · Post by **jdc** » Mon May 31, 2010 4:38 am

not sure if this has been tried before?

do we have an under 25year old kneeboarder head count and location list. Some of course may not bother with this site so has anybody seen them?

there do not appear to be any around west of melbourne, australia

I recenty discoveed ther are still 400 asiatic lions left in Asia - all in an obscure forest in Gujarat western India. There were only 170 left in the late 60's

on a serious note we can talk alot about the methods of survival and the current age of most kneelos but how many grommets to early 20's kneeboarders are known of

C.P.Odom · Post by **C.P.Odom** » Mon May 31, 2010 5:14 am

A few young ones exist here in So Cal, Just a couple under 16 that I know of.
1. Shane Dimick
2. Evan Odom
3. Elise Odom (mostly footie)

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Mon May 31, 2010 6:20 am

1 x 12 year old grom trying to be like dad

west coast, south africa.....got some photos somewhere as proof....

not seen any others

Andy

MALLEE BULL · Post by **MALLEE BULL** » Mon May 31, 2010 4:14 pm

Got a 16 year old having a go but there competition Girls,Rugbyand having to travel a couple hours for a surf.

bdwqld · Post by **bdwqld** » Mon May 31, 2010 4:14 pm

My lad is nineteen and a keen kneeboarder, when you can get him out of bed!!!

Nov · Post by **Nov** » Mon May 31, 2010 5:53 pm

There's my brother and I. I'm 22 and Tom's 13 turning 14 soon.

MJ · Post by MJ » Mon May 31, 2010 7:18 pm

From Vic there are a few that spring to mind, my daughter Catey 14, Andy Whitehead and Kendal Lloyd, both around 20 and Jethro Cooney who is 16, I think. Some others from NSW are Kurt Meusberger and Shane Whithouse.
With the exception of Andy and Kendal all the others are a result of the Kneelo propagation program.

wolruss · Post by **wolruss** » Mon May 31, 2010 7:35 pm

Mark,

glad you chimed in

(haven't seen anyone keener that your duaghter for a while)....As well as Kurt there's his mate Paul who has taken it up lately & Jake Meusburger but he has since joined the army, I'm not sure how old Adam Meusburger is, but he's out of action with a shattered ankle, Liam (Mallee's boy) travels with his Dad 3 to 4 hours to make it to pointscores - that's real keen & Dad's been very ill lately and so hasn't been able to chauffer him down-maybe next pointscore at Coledale Sunday 11th June Mal ? What about Keg's 6 year old daughter having a go at the Wollongong Pro

Then there's those of us that have started to count back from 50 that'll be there shortly

Cheers Wolruss

wolruss · Post by **wolruss** » Mon May 31, 2010 7:37 pm

Oops, Shane Whitehouse from Bonnie Hills as well...whos built like an outhouse (maybe that's why I initially overlooked him - don't hit me Shane, you brute).....

jdkneelo · Post by **jdkneelo** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:12 am

I see a major problem here ,we can talk about sending the elite out in heavy waves all we like. But in 15years there will be no badens or simons or gavins and at 40 yrs old i,m one of the youngest cripples on the gold coast. Unless we can generate some serious interest in the sport were finished. I know a world championship final surfed at somewhere in intimidating waves is what we need to attaract new interest and possible media coverage. Theres no sense calling yourself a world champion if theres 6 blokes in the whole contest. but hey opinions are like ass***es and thats mine.

SamC · Post by **SamC** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:54 am

Including me, there's probably only about dozen that I can think of here in California.

Nov · Post by **Nov** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:02 am

jdkneelo wrote:I see a major problem here ,we can talk about sending the elite out in heavy waves all we like. But in 15years there will be no badens or simons or gavins and at 40 yrs old i,m one of the youngest cripples on the gold coast. Unless we can generate some serious interest in the sport were finished. I know a world championship final surfed at somewhere in intimidating waves is what we need to attaract new interest and possible media coverage. Theres no sense calling yourself a world champion if theres 6 blokes in the whole contest. but hey opinions are like ass***es and thats mine.

I've been saying this for years. Even I'm starting to age, I'm not even a junior any more. Everyone on this site is probably rolling their eyes at that, but in the stand up world, 22 isn't young (not when you've got a stack of 9, 10, 11 year olds taking it up on a regular basis)- you're way past your grommet years in their eyes.

I've thrown suggestions out before such as promoting our boards' versatility- much in the same vein as bodyboarders promote the ability to surf their boards in two stances, drop knee and prone- and trying to hook kids with the promise of trying something new, yet still retaining the full ability to surf standing up if they want. From what I remember, people seemed to hate the idea of playing second fiddle to stand up surfing, and that kneeboarding is for 'individuals' and will never be mainstream. If playing second fiddle to stand up surfing as a second/alternative stance for the adventurous/curious would be what it takes to keep kneeboarding alive, I'd be more than happy to do it, especially if it gets us back in the mainsteam eye. We need the mainstream, we need some sort of attention to save us, otherwise yes, we will die the slow death we're already dying.

I'm trying to groom my brother as a hybrid surfer- I'm hoping one day he'll be good enough at both stand up surfing and kneeboarding that he'll be able to get magazine attention etc. Imagine a photo section dedicated to a bloke who can pop crazy flip move airs on his feet, do airs and barrel rolls on his knees and throw buckets of spray in both stances- all on the one board- you'd blow peoples minds and kneeboarding would be back for good. It's just a dream at the moment, but hey, maybe one day it'll be a reality.

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 12:57 pm

great thinking Matt.

keep it going

jdkneelo · Post by **jdkneelo** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:25 pm

I didn,t meen to sound so negative but i,ll give you an example of the grommets mentality up here. Matt lackey is one off the best drop knee riders in the world. He has a huge fanbase amongst the grommet lid riders. I also think hed be a real threat on a kneeboard in any conditions. i offered him a ride on one off my boards, because we have spoken a number off times and i thought there could be potential for a bit off a jumpship. he just sniggered and paddled off. He was sponsored by billabong at the time, maybe that had something to do with it.

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:29 pm

No, its the image that is portrayed to the young guys that turns them away.

refer to World Tittle Qualifying thread.

its pointing in a direction to change that image.