WSM: Let’s start with our typical interview questions. What’s your name, where are you from, and how long have you been wakesurfing?
Perry: Perry Morrison and I’m from Grapevine Texas – I’ve been wakesurfing since I was about 7 years old when I was involved with a DFW Surf watersports summer camp, so just over 6 years. Tyler Marshall the owner of DFW Surf really took the time make sure my introduction to surfing was fun.
WSM: Prior to wakesurfing, were you doing any other towed watersports?
Perry: We spent weekends at the lake sailing on our sailboat and we would play around with wakeboarding and tubing behind our wave runner.
WSM: How about sports or other hobbies off the water?
Perry: I love flying, sailing, and skateboarding. I’m just getting into mountain biking and learning the technical aspects of riding and I’m a certified PADI SCUBA Diver and a Black Belt in Taekwondo. I stay pretty busy when I’m not surfing!!
[Editor’s note: If we ever lose anything overboard or need to fight off ninjas, Perry is going to be our guy!]
WSM: Do you remember the first time you wakesurfed? Were you immediately hooked or did that come with time?
Perry: I fell in love instantly and didn’t want to do anything else, in fact my parents tell stories of me sleeping on our sailboat wanting my board snuggled up next to me. My parents really worked together to allow me to spend a lot of time on the water early in my introduction to wakesurfing. We would wake up early as the sun was coming up on Sunday mornings and jump from the sailboat to the wakeboat and be surfing as the sun peeked over the horizon. We would stop to eat and refuel but that’s about it!! The more I surfed the more I loved it. I laughed and smiled all the time I was in love with the feeling of going up and down the wave and accelerating and stopping the board. I loved watching my dad and mom cheer, smile, and laugh as I progressed. It was the perfect family time and I was the center of attention.
WSM: You competed this year and ended up taking home 3rd place in the Amateur Male Surf division at Worlds. How was it competing in Canada and were you ready for how cold it was?
Perry: I think the water temperature change was a little of a shock for me but I felt like I rode well for not being able to feel my feet. The event was well set up and had heaters set around to warm the competitors back up after their runs.
WSM: Going into the event, did you think you could make it to finals? Did it ever cross your mind that you would end up on the podium?
Perry: At first I was kind of nervous and worried because everyone was so much older than me but then I just focused on hanging out with my friends and having fun. When it was my turn I just surfed my run and did my best. I was very excited to make it to finals at Worlds and was stoked to podium.
WSM: Are you naturally competitive? Or do you just enjoy meeting people at the contests?
Perry: I am naturally competitive just like my mom & dad. Although, even though I am competitive I love to meet new people and hang out with them. The most important part to me is having fun and sharing a good time with new and old friends.
WSM: Take us back to when you were just starting out. What was the first trick you learned and how long did it take you to get it?
Perry: The first trick I learned was a bottom turn, it took about 3 days to get comfortable doing it. I am still trying to improve it today.
WSM: Tell us about your sponsors. What’s your gear setup?
Perry: I am sponsored by my parents, Tige Boats, Doomswell, Eagle Marine, and DFW Surf. I surf on a Doomswell Neo with dual Future Fins, a Doomswell comp vest makes sure I float instead of sink and my personal boat is a 2018 Tige’ Z3.
WSM: How long have you been with Brock and his folks over at Doomswell? How’d you first get introduced to them?
Perry: Brock and Doomswell have been a sponsor for almost 3 years. Matt Edmondson, who worked with Eagle Marine and Tige boats at the time, introduced us. Matt really has been an inspiration for me in the industry. Matt now works for Doomswell and I know my parents consider him part of the family because of all he has done to help me progress in the industry.
WSM: If you could take one celebrity wakesurfing with you who would it be and why?
Perry: Bethany Hamilton – she is also a Tige Team rider and her goal like mine is to positively inspire people
WSM: If you had your choice of music when riding, what would it be?
Perry: Rap or Reggae
WSM: Where would you like to see wakesurfing go in the future?
Perry: Continue to grow with more events, the future depends on all of us that enjoy the sport today sharing it with others every chance we get. Snowboarding gave us a pretty good roadmap on how to increase the popularity of the sport and involve more people.
WSM: What advice would you give a newcomer to the sport that’s looking to progress and learn new tricks?
Perry: First always have fun – take lessons and practice, practice, practice. But most importantly, set time aside to just have fun and surf – share the stoke!!!
WSM: What tricks are you working on? Anything you feel like lettings us know about?
Perry: Air Reverse and I just starting to work on Skim style
[Editor’s note: Great… now he’ll be a better skimmer than all of us too…]
WSM: Do you have any sponsors, friends, or family you’d like to thank?
Perry: The list is a long one – Mom and dad of course – Tyler with DFW surf for my first experience and coaching from the start – Matt Edmondson, for everything he has done from letting the little 9 year old me drive his golf cart at my first Wake Surf Open to giving me guidance just last week on how to handle a sponsorship opportunity. Kelly and Kim from KKrows who I met at my second US Wake Surf Open and who made me and my family feel like we belonged and have become great family friends. Emily Agate, Todd Johnson, and Kennan Flegel for their expert coaching. Dom Lagace for inspiring me the first time I saw him surf at my first clinic and to my sponsors who allow me to share the sport and their products with others. Last but not least dad reminded me at the Canada event none of this happens without the hard-working volunteers many of who do it just to see our smiles and advance this family-friendly sport.
WSM: Would you like to plug any social media?
Perry: PDawg Surf, Doomswell, Tige Boats, DFW Surf, KKrows and of course Wakesurf Media
We want to thank Perry for giving WSM his time and we look forward to seeing more of him as he continues to progress in his career and push wakesurfing into the future!
