Autism Interview #135: Clay Marzo on Surfing

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Clay Marzo is a professional surfer from Hawaii. Clay has been recognized for his unique style and innovative surfing techniques. He began surfing competitively at age 10 and has been featured in several films. This week Clay discussed his Asperger’s diagnosis and how surfing is an expressive outlet for him.

How did you become aware of your Asperger’s diagnosis? What led to the decision to pursue a diagnosis?

My main sponsor Quiksilver asked my mom why I did not conform socially to my sponsors. They asked for a diagnosis.  I was not doing interviews “right.” I did not know what to say and how to act. I did not like people looking or talking to me.

Your surfing has been described as “expressive.” Do you agree with this? If so, what would you say you express when you surf?

I surf and I feel comfortable, alive and peaceful. I can surf better than communicating for sure.

You achieved fame in the surfing world at a young age. What was difficult (if anything) about being in the public eye so young, prior to having a diagnosis?

Everything. I did not like any of it except the movies where I could watch the surfing. I did like that my dad and mom were proud of me and the free stuff I got. I had a hard time with travel and people.

Your biography states that you “didn’t play by the expected rules at surf competitions.” Can you explain?

I did not want to catch a wave just for points but instead because it was a good wave. I do not like to battle for surf or to win. I just want to surf to surf.

A picture of Clay surfing. Clay and his mother, Jill, presented at the 2018 Love and Autism Conference on being authentically Autistic and one of the world’s best surfers.

What do you love most about surfing?

Everything, but being in the barrel is the best part, deep inside the noise and the feeling I get in it.

Is there anything you wished your parents, teachers, or friends would have done differently or understood better when you were growing up?

I did not like school. They were always testing me and making me feel stupid. My mom always helped me, and my dad would take me surfing.

Any advice for surfers of the Great Lakes? (I live near Lake Michigan and we have a surf board but I can barely stand up on it!)

There are a lot of wave pools being built now for people who don’t have waves…. the best advice is to have fun and work on your pop ups on land, getting up and down from stomach to feet, and stay centered on the board.

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4 Comments

  2. DOCNMOM

    Reply

    ALOHA, Thank you for sharing this surfer’s information. My son just found this surfer’s article & shared this with me. (I’m his Mom) We just figured out on our path in life, that my son has this too, so my son after his discovery about himself, went “online” to see who else can relate (likeminded) to us! This search led him to your surfer’s article. Our resent discovery has also pointed out that my soulmate & wonderful father to our precious children “had” all these signs too, as my son & this beautiful surfer’s soul has. My soulmate unexpectedly passed & I’m heartbroken , but I always supported my soulmate 24/7 as he was a Multi Champion Racer, winning his 1st race at age 9, back in 1956 with his Dad coaching him since age 6 (no “kids class” back then); they loved to ride motorcycles together!:) Grandpa was a Champion Desert Racer in the 1930s, 40s & 50s in California.
    My soulmate never was diagnosed, but this surfer has all the SAME signs as my soulmate, especially not doing as well with the media/sponsors, that you pointed out with your son. My soulmate had so many sponsors during his racing & training career back in 20th Century. Please keep sharing your information with others so they don’t have to spend their ENTIRE LIVES not knowing this totally awesome brain program that they’re born with, muchless bringing my family and others so much joy!:)
    Our son JUST discovered on his own seeking, that he’s also like his Dad, but we cannot test his Dad after his sudden passing. So my son asked me, as his only living parent, (all grandparents and his Dad are gone), to please take a quick online test for his gathering of information after his discovery last week. We just adore our only son, so I said OK. He had me take a 50 question test to: “just check” and my score was 42/50. My son tells me, “Mom, I think you and Dad are both like I am.” A bit shocking of a find to say the least, being in my “senior years!” Sadly my only everlasting soulmate never got to know this for his own soul on earth. The comfort I get is in 1Corinthians 13 where all who: Seek to Love & Know our Awesome Soul Maker In Christ’s Justification and Loving Wisdom will someday, “know as we are known,” when we see our Beautiful Creator… (as all bodies eventually die to return to dirt and all souls will depart to answer to our Soul Maker for all our choices on earth) …Face to Face! 1CORINTHIANS 13:12.
    Please keep getting this surfer’s story out there, because I think there’s many souls that don’t know their own soul’s engineering and being our minds are our soul’s home until our brain/body parts wear out, this is a huge part of Living Life more Abundantly!:)
    In our couplehood we lived an extraordinary jouney on earth, as it is in Heaven!:) I just adored my only soulmate! My totally awesome: “Mom’s Men” were only 2nd to GOD for my soul.
    God HAS Blessed America to grow our Freedoms in this new Modern Era and 3rd Millennium after ChristJesus’s Ascension; for all souls are Created Equal, but each running on different programs in God’s Beautiful Everlasting Human Engineering!:) ChristJesus is 1 of 1 being fully God and fully human, The Only Begotten Son of God. So when we Love God & others In ChristJesus’s Mental Training Camp for our New Testament Era, we can “know as we are known” being all souls are: Made in God’s Beautiful Image, no matter what generation, from riding only horses to our cool vehicles for transportation today. I will see my only Everlasting Lovey again, as we both enjoy ChristJesus’s Training Camp!:) Our only wedding vow to each other is, “Until death do us part and we meet again in God’s Glory!” So, until then, I’ll keep representing our couplehood well, especially in supporting our only son on his young adult jouney as a newly discovered: Neurodivergent soul. Our son really looks more at peace on knowing, understanding more about who he is as a beautiful human being his soul is Made In God’s Loving Image with his parents loving human Engineering Designed by God. Thank you for sharing your information that is a positive supplement in “self discovery.” So cheers to: Loving & Knowing God and others; self included.

    Many Blessings, DOCNMOM 😀 🙂

  3. Mrs DOCNMOM

    Reply

    Thank you so much for sharing your story; think my HOF Soulmate & our son could be too. Going to do more research on this information; also thinking there’s so many that are undiagnosed and articles like this can bring awareness. Thank God we’re born in Modern Era of Information. Of course our Soul Maker invented diversity, so there’s different people that think differently but all have purpose to Love God & one another; hang loose!:)

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