Insight Team Rider: Shea Hodges

photographs by  ChrisGrant  www.JettyGirl.com

Insight Clothing info: http://www.insight51.com/2008/gmp/index.html


NAME: Shea Hodges
AGE: 21
HOME BREAK: Hanalei, Hi. / Oceanside, Ca.
SPONSORS: Insight, Etnies
FAVORITE TRAVEL BREAK: always back to my roots in
Oahu! (Ala Moana Bowls!!!)

Bio: My name is Shea Hodges. I was born and raised on
the island of Oahu in a little town on the east side
called Kailua. Not so little of a town any more with
the kaos of a new strip mall developed in the exact
middle of our town. My mom and dad divorced when i was
15 and i moved with my mom to an even smaller town in
Kauai called Hanalei. Both islands provided me with
surfing competions such as NSSA and HASA to cultivate
local kids surfing skills. From there i competed in
the World Team Trials which lead us to South Africa
two years in a row.

After entering in competitions my whole youth i found
out in late 2004 that i didnt enjoy competing as much
as everyone else did. With my dads pressure over my
shoulders every heat of every competition i couldnt
surf for myself.  This led me to moving to California
when i turned 18 to see if i can track down some new
sponsors that would want be willing to grow with me as
a migrating hawaiian.

Right now i'm just trying to surf more for myself and
for my sponsors. Not to win contests or proove to
people i'm the best on the WCT or even the world.  I
want to be the individual that i am and be known for
being as a good surfer, but also as a good person.
I have many interests in life like making music,
making art along with looking at it, to even building
road bikes that fit our personalities with fellow
biker buddy/longboard world champ Jen Smith. I dont
wanna stress to sell myself, stress out in contests,
and then stress out that i didnt win my entry fee
back. That's not my deffinition of enjoying my outlet,
and it doesnt help that i break under pressure. haha
Long story short, i guess im your standard mellow /
care free hawaiian.