The Surfing Nurse: A Marissa Shaw Interview

Our Marissa Shaw Interview Answers Burning Questions

Recently, Silverfish had the privilege of chatting with one of Southern California’s best female surfers. Marissa Shaw, from south Orange County, has been surfing most of her life. While her contest results have distinguished her from her peers, her drive in school has set her apart among other competitive surfers.

In our Marissa Shaw interview, we asked her about her love of surfing, advice to other surfers just getting started, and her drive in school. Below, read the transcript from our exclusive interview:

Some fun updates: I won the Revolt Summer surf series contest in Pacific beach today and also won their season title in the Women’s Pro-Am division. I am leaving for a surf trip to Bali on Wednesday, I’ll be there for two weeks. The surf sunglasses will be getting some hard core use out there 🙂

You’ve been surfing since you were a kid, right? What got you into surfing?

• When I was ten years old I joined the San Clemente City Junior Lifeguards program. One of the activities we did there was take out soft top surfboards. After catching my first few waves on those boards, I was hooked!

You took a detour from your surf career to attend college and become a registered nurse. Tell us about that.

• After becoming a beach lifeguard and registered EMT, I realised that I had a great interest in the medical field. I wanted a career that would both allow me to practice as a medical professional while also allowing a schedule flexible enough so I could continue surfing competitively.   During my time at San Diego State University I was able to gain various extracurricular experiences ranging from being a D1 varsity athlete on the women’s rowing team, working as an undergraduate teaching assistant, participating in a study abroad program in Spain, to serving as captain of the SDSU Surf Team. The School of Nursing coursework required an incredible level of dedication and commitment to complete. I would not have the letters “RN, BSN” behind my name without the support of a few key friends and my family. It is very exciting at this point to have the opportunity to establish myself as a professional in both the medical and surfing worlds.

 

Where is one place you have never surfed that you really want to?

• One place? Well I have never been to Bali so I would love to visit there.

Where have you scored the best surf?

• Honestly my best sessions have all been here in Southern California. Maybe I am just biased for home!

Outside of surfing, is there anything else that you are especially passionate about that you would like to share?

• I am also very passionate about riding horses. There is a horse rescue ranch called Rocking Horse Ranch in Lakeside that I enjoy volunteering at.

You recently switched to using Silverfish surf glasses, right? Why did you make this change?

• There are various styles of eye protection out there to fit the preferences of surfers, which is great. I switched to Silverfish surf glasses because I was looking for a product that had a traditional sunglasses frame.

What advice do you have for up-and-coming surfers?

• Practice your surfing in all conditions and be sure to switch up what beach you surf at often. Also find another activity that you enjoy as cross-training such as swimming, running, skateboarding, yoga, etc. Stay positive and enjoy all of your sessions!

Marissa Shaw isn’t the only competitive surfer who uses Silverfish surf glasses. Silverfish has garnered a lot of attention for its patented designs. Every model is durable, practical, and stylish. Find the perfect surfing sunglasses for you. You will wonder why you waited so long!