Some of his fellow big-wave surfers, like McNamara, have been known to help out at Surf for All as well. “We’re all friends in the water and it’s nice when they come during the summer and see our community,” Skudin said. “And it shows these kids that you could be from anywhere in the world and accomplish the same goals and dreams. It’s the result of how hard you work.”

His goal in competitive surfing, he said, is to keep climbing the professional ranks and clinch a world championship someday. “Personally, I feel like it all starts now,” he said. “I feel like everything is rolling in the right direction. This is a sport that takes a lifetime to master, and I’m willing to take a lifetime to try.”