Insight with Mitch Crews: Enthusiasm, Optimism and Success
By Keri Algar
Mitch Crews has a swag of sponsors behind him and it’s no surprise. He’s friendly, happy and talented. His head is screwed on and the future looks bright. This year Crews has been smashing the Pro Junior circuit, and at the time of printing he is leading by a solid margin. GC Surf managed to steal twenty minutes with our Currumbin boy between his overseas jaunts. Mitch says that it’s all a bit weird how somehow things have just fallen into place, but he’s happy to roll with it.
mitch at a northern beach, sydney. bluesnapper.com
GC: Hey Mitch, thanks for taking the time.
MC: Hey no worries, I’m happy to.
GC: What’s been happening?
MC: This is my first week at home for quite a while so I’ve just been cruising.
GC: You were in Tahiti recently, Rangiroa, which is an island a bit out of the way. What was it like over there?
MC: It was a five grade pro junior that counted towards our series and it was this perfect right hander, we were all freaking out. The surf was unbelievable, it was a joke. It was just this crazy, crazy right hander, a world class wave and only a couple of local kids out. They were just frothing to have people there. It was epic. Six foot and you know, pretty scary for a couple of days, gnarly. I had fun, I had an epic time. It’s so beautiful over there.
GC: That sounds pretty good. Where are you heading to next?
MC: I’m going to Trestles (California) next week. Just to compete in a different field of surfers. They only allow one Australian in their events over there so I thought I might as well go. Surf Trestles with three guys out is a good excuse. I’m looking forward to it. The States are amazing; I’d love to live there at some point, LA probably. It looks sick, the lifestyle and city life. But the waves aren’t really good over there so only if I wasn’t surfing; it’s probably where I’d like to live. I don’t know what I’d do though. It’s weird because surfing is all I really know for now. But I consider myself kind of smart so I’d get myself into something. Anyway, it’s just a little dream.
GC: OK, let’s back track a bit and find out where Mitch Crews hails from?
MC: I was born on the Sunshine Coast in Nambour Hospital. We moved from the sunny coast to the south coast of NSW when I was eight, and then moved back up to the Gold Coast when I was 14. I started surfing when I was about ten. Dad’s always surfed and I’ve always been around the water. It’s always been included in my lifestyle. I wanted to surf, gave it a go and thought, yeah, I want to do that.
GC: How did the transition into competitive and then professional surfing come about?
MC: I went into a couple of comps when I was about fourteen but just never did very good at it. I didn’t really think much of it. I just did it for fun because I enjoyed it and the next thing I know I started getting a lot more results and then the next thing I know it’s my job!
...fun. bluesnapper.com
GC: How are you dealing with the sudden increase of attention?
MC: It’s strange; it’s all come so quickly. I’m just trying not to let it affect me and get a big head about it. I haven’t changed anything, I still feel like I’m surfing the same. I just think that my mind set is a bit different this year. One day I just realised how I’m over loosing and I just want to win comps, and it worked. I’m still the same person, it’s fun. It’s weird being that person winning instead of someone else. I’m just rolling with it. I’m trying to keep fit and focused and do my job. I like the attention, it makes me want to do better and it gives me confidence in my surfing. Right now I reckon I’m more relaxed than I was a couple of contests ago because I’ve been surfing contests and I haven’t had anything less than a third. I’m just a happy guy right now.
...epic
GC: Yeah, you’re having an excellent year and there’re only four contests left.
MC: It’s (the junior series) been good, I’m on a good run and 5000 points in front. It’s a lot for now but then anything can happen.
GC: Are you getting any coaching or training?
MC: Nah, not really, oh actually sorry, yeah I do get a bit of coaching. Barton Lynch actually works at Hurley. Hurley has put together these performance camps to get their younger riders, and actually all their team together and coach them… whether it’s mentally, heat tactics, or technique. Barton Lynch is in charge of all that. It’s helped me out quite a lot. Barton’s been supporting me through every event. Not hands on really because I haven’t been able to see him, but on the phone…keeping my head focused.
GC: Having the support of a world champ must be good. Any others?
MC: I’ve got a bunch of friends on the junior series and we’re all super tight. We’ve been competing against each other for so long that we’re used to it. We all like seeing each other do well and we all support each other, it’s epic how the guys push you, especially good friends.
GC: What about other influences or people you look up to?
MC: Definitely my Dad, he influences me a lot with how I am as a person…to be down to earth. Umm…influences now, I have to look at guys like Koby Bryant because he’s there to win. Guys like him and Lil Wayne, the rapper, because he’s come from nothing to something. When you’re young you always look up to those older guys surfing, especially when you’re first on the junior series. But they never really want to talk to you; they’re not interested because you’re just some little grommet. That’s really influenced me. Now I’m in that position I want to acknowledge anyone. I’ve always got time to stop for a chat. If I am winning I want people to be stoked, not think ‘oh that guy’. I want them to think ‘good on him’.
GC: Have there been any defining moments in your life or career?
A defining moment…yeah. At the end of last year I got diagnosed with arthritis, a type of arthritis in my spine. They were saying how I wouldn’t be able to surf and stuff or compete. That kind of rattled me. I just worked on it and saw a bunch of doctors and now I’m fitter than I’ve ever been. It’s changed everything. I took things a lot for granted before that…surfing, everything. Just the chance that I can surf now, I’m just stoked. I’m getting good treatment for it and I’m happy.
GC: I guess that’s the sort of thing that makes you really appreciate the things in your life.
MC: Oh yeah, I’m grateful for my health, and just the chance that I can surf for a living. I’m just lucky to do what I get to do. The more you hear people whinging…what? Don’t whinge, there are so many other people worse off than us. I’m grateful for what I get to do everyday. I can’t live without surfing, my friends and family, they’re everything.
GC: With all this travelling do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?
MC: I’m so busy right now I miss out on a lot of a teenage normal life. I’m on the road 24/7. I miss a bunch of friends at home and going out a lot. But the experiences I have on the road, you can’t really trade much for them. It’s epic.
GC: You’re on the road a lot. Have you read any good books recently?
MC: Books…I read a bit. I’ve read all the Twilight books and the Harry Potter’s. But I’ve just been reading a lot of business books recently…ways to invest my money well and stuff. I’m not a huge reader but if I have a book I’ll read it till the end. I’m reading a lot of magazines about investing and property and things like that because down the track I want to be young and I want to be rich and I want to have properties! (He’s cracking up) That’s my aim.
GC: What do you love most about the Goldy?MC: I love hanging out with my friends. It’s such a massive place where you’re always meeting new people. You gotta love home. We’ve got the best weather and some of the best waves in the world, when we’ve got the swell. To call myself a Gold Coaster, you know, I’m sorta proud. But if it wasn’t the gold coast and surf it would be LA, ha ha.
GC: So if it wasn’t surfing, what would life be for you?
MC: As a kid I was super into basketball, but I’m no good at it. I’m really into music, I like rap so I’d like to get into that. But when I was younger I wanted to be a pro surfer…I just never thought I’d go down that path and now I’m sort of here earning money and it’s just a part of it. I haven’t really done anything else, it’s kind of weird. I didn’t expect it to happen. One day I was surfing and the next I’ve got sponsors.
GC: That’s right, and a lot of them…Hurley, Electric, DVS, Gorilla Grip, FCS, Aerial 7 Headphones, Lee Stacey Surfboards…how did it come about?
MC: Well I got Hurley when I was 17. I actually won a pro junior when I was 17, just fluked it and somehow the next thing I know I’ve got all these sponsors, it’s crazy. That’s how quick it happened. One day I couldn’t make a heat and the next I won a pro junior. It’s kind of psycho when you’re 17.
GC: I heard that you’re planning on taking next year off from full time competition and that Hurley is backing you all the way. What are your reasons?
MC: If I do take the junior series out this year, I want to have a year where I’m doing a lot more photo and video trips to fill my profile and work on my surfing. I don’t want to be known as that guy who can win contests; I want to be known as the whole package, someone who can do tricks, surf bigger waves. Next year I’m going to focus on those points on my surfing and building my profile. I want to be a surfer kids want to watch. Do all those crazy things you see on the movies now. You don’t get a chance to work on them much when you’re competing full time. You see some guys who have done the junior series and gone straight into the WQS drop off the map. It’s a hard transition I think, moving from the juniors into the ‘QS. It’s such a big thing, and it’s not easy qualifying. So I’ll keep myself fresh and in the contest frame of mind by doing the odd event as well.
GC: How do you envision your future?
MC: The future? Hopefully on the WCT…definitely giving it a good old crack. I’d still want to be surfing…enjoying everything and just keeping happy.
mitch. bluesnapper.com
GC: Is there anything you’d change right now?
MC: Not really, I’m content; I’m happy, super happy. Just cruising at home…I’m frothing seeing all my friends again having a couple of wines and good dinners.
GC: Thanks Mitch, I reckon that’ll do. Oh, before you go, what was this tweet I read the other day about you talking to some kids at a hospital?MC: My doctors for arthritis are up in Brisbane so they asked me to help them out by talking to some of the kids about surfing. It was good to go in there and talk to them because they’re stoked. The kids are sitting in there all the time doing nothing, they’re sick and just to see them smile was epic. It sounds corny, but it’s a really nice feeling. You don’t have to be anyone, you just have to be someone new and bubbly and they’ll be happy to see you.
After seeing Barton Lynch literally jump out of his beach seat while watching Crews surf against Peterson Crisanto at the Hurley Burleigh we figured it would be worth giving the 1988 world champ a call to see what all the fuss was about. As it turns out, Barton is raving mad on Mitch. This is what he had to say…
I just think he’s a nice bloke. He’s got a really nice manner and a really nice way about him. He’s always gracious and appreciative of everything. I think he’s got a really good attitude especially if you compare it to a lot of the attitudes going around. Great attitude, good energy, he’s an incredible surfer, he’s got a bubbly personality so I think he’s got all of the elements that it takes to be successful.
I don’t remember anyone in the junior series, ever really, being as dominant as he is. This year Davey Cathels has given him a bit of a run, Chris Friend and Dean Bowen have done all right too.
I suppose the reality is, the type of run that he’s having now in the pro junior – you have that run on the WCT and that’s what wins you world titles.
I think that he’s very well rounded. He can surf in all kinds of waves and he can do all kinds of maneuvers and tricks. You know he’s got a pretty good arsenal of tricks and good broad spread of surfing. The foundation is there for international success I reckon, he just needs to work on his surfing in general, because everything is there. It’s a matter of just being consistent and working on it all…big waves, the airs and the tricks, maintaining the consistency in competition, expanding his exposure and opportunities to build his image.
He’s got to consider all the elements that it takes to have a holisitic approach to developing your career…and I think he’s a pretty clever kid, he’s aware of that.
I think it’s a pretty good idea to not go straight into the WQS. I know Hurley have pretty much torn up his contract and wrote him a whole new one and doubled what he was getting. Without him even asking, you know! They were so stoked with how he’s done, they just went sure, we’ll do you a new one…they’re really happy with how he’s going.
I think his arthritis has seen him take a good look at himself, his behavior patterns, consider his diet, consider his fitness, consider everything and realise the fragility of what he has…the potential surfing career, sponsors, good times and parties, all the stuff that makes a happy and healthy life. The arthritis sort of made him realise how fragile that all can be. So consequentially that really kicked him into gear.
I just hang there in the background as a sounding board if he ever needs it. I’m really stoked when he does well, we’ve worked together at Hurley camps and so its’ great to see him go.
Byron Bay, Australia: Surf art eco diary, Happy Days 2011, will enjoy an official launch at a special intimate evening on Wednesday December 8, 2010 at the Treehouse on Belongil in Byron Bay. All are welcome, admission is free.
Keriruri's Point 