love of surfing has led to a unique job for Tess Booth , coaching at professional wave rider Kelly Slater ’ s Surf Ranch in Lemoore , California .

“ I absolutely love my job ,” says Booth , 20 . “ I ’ ve been working at the wave pool for over a year now and plan to keep working there until the end of the year . I started as a surf guide , focusing mostly on helping guests in the water . Then I got promoted to a surf coach where I got to go more in-depth with guests about their personal progression and the nuances of the wave .”

Perhaps it ’ s not surprising that Booth excels at surfing ( she placed second last year in the Brooks Street Surfing Classic women ’ s division ) as her dad , Jeff Booth , is a former professional surfer .

“ When I was 6 , my dad would take me on his stand-up paddleboard and catch waves with me ,” she recalls . “ I ’ d hold onto the top of the board while he did all the work and I loved it . But I didn ’ t really get into surfing until I was 9 when I got a yellow , 7-foot Odysea [ board ]. I was a much better swimmer by this time and all of my friends were doing it so I started to go with the group until I was one of the last ones who still thought surfing was fun .

“… I love when you finally get a good wave and kick out with a goofy grin on your face knowing it took you all session just to get one keeper of a wave . Nothing beats that .”

She typically returns to Laguna after working

Tess Booth considers herself more of a rail surfer .

GO-TO PLACE IN TOWN Adolfo ’ s [ Mexican Food ], Wigz , Bear Coast Coffee , Laguna Coffee Co . and Thai Bros . FAVORITE LOCAL SURF SPOT “ I love Brooks Street . That wave is very dear to my heart . It was one of the first waves for me that really challenged me to become a better surfer in more powerful conditions .” FAVORITE GLOBAL SURF SPOT “ I ’ ve … surfed a lot of amazing waves throughout my travels and hope to keep surfing new places . I feel like I ’ m still searching .” BUCKET LIST SURF DESTINATION “ I really want to go to Peru to surf some long lefts . Even though I ’ m a regular footer , I grew up on a left and feel really comfortable surfing on my backhand .” SURFING STYLE “ I ’ m more of a rail surfer . I ’ m tall and lengthy so normally my turns end up long and drawn out .” HER BOARD A 5 ’ 10 ” Byrne — but “ I ’ m also excited to be working with Fantine Capron . She is going to be shaping me a custom fish this summer for me to rep . I ’ m super excited about this one because I ’ ve never owned a fish . Until then , however , I ’ ll be riding my handy dandy Byrne boards shaped by Michael Baron , who has been our family ’ s shaper for years .” OTHER HOBBIES “ I ’ ve been playing [ piano ] since I was 7 . I first started in an after-school club for keyboarding . … I was trained classically , but now I sort of just play what I ’ m feeling .”

a weeklong shift at the Surf Ranch . “ Laguna is home ,” she says . “ It ’ s where I grew up , learned how to surf and formed my identity . I love coming home after a week in Lemoore and passing by Brooks Street . I am very comforted by this — to be in my own backyard . I love that Laguna is a place for me to recharge with my family and cats , to see old friends , and to get a wave or two at the spots that watched me grow into the surfer I am today .” But she also loves exploring abroad , including a recent solo trip to Costa Rica . “ This was an amazing trip ,” she says . “ Solo travel has always been something that scared me . But after this trip , I gained a lot of confidence in myself . I had a lot of time to reflect , relax , make my own schedule and meet new people .

“ I found that when I travel alone , I experience the world more directly and fully . I met people I would have never met , took risks I probably wouldn ’ t have taken , and spoke a lot more Spanish than I would have spoken if I were traveling with someone else . I ’ ll forever be grateful for this trip .”

When it comes to competitions , she represents Laguna at the West Coast Board Riders events in SoCal . “ I love these contests and it ’ s always fun to run into old friends that I competed with back in middle school and high school ,” she says .

But a Laguna contest holds a special place in her heart . “ The Brooks Street [ Surfing Classic ] is such a special event in Laguna ,” she says . “ The whole surf community comes together and gets to cheer each other on during one of the biggest south swells of the summer . There ’ s carnage , heckling , love — all the good stuff you want in a community surf contest .”

Booth sends up some spray .

TOP : RANDOLPH STOKER ; OTHERS : BOB BOOTH

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