This Wasn’t the Plan 🌊🏄‍♂️

On Tuesday, we promised:

Team #5 drops tomorrow… unless something wild happens first! 🦁

Well… something wild happened.

Wednesday came.

But Team #5 didn’t.

Why not? Because Smallball was busy evacuating from the tsunami warning zone in Hanalei.

No joke. Thankfully, we’re all safe.

We got a reminder of just how powerful the ocean can be.

And also… how unbelievably calm some people can be.

🎥 Check out this video we took of a guy paddle boarding as the tsunami waves were expected to roll in.

Can you spot him in this picture?

While that guy was doing something dumb and dangerous… it got us thinking about people who take on big waves on purpose.

So instead of jumping straight back into football, we figured today was the perfect time to talk about something we haven’t covered yet on Smallball.

Surfing.

It’s not just a sport.

It’s a mindset. A culture. A way of connecting to nature.

And when the waves get big—really big—it becomes one of the most heart-pounding, awe-inspiring things in all of sports.

🎥 Hit play to see what we mean.

🏄‍♂️ Surf School

As you can see in that video, not all waves are created equal.

Surfers actually choose where to paddle out based on the type of break. (That’s the word for how and where a wave breaks, shaped by what’s underneath the water.)

Here are the five most important kinds:

1. Beach Break

Waves that break over soft, sandy bottoms. They shift with tides and storms, and are often best for beginners.

Famous Spot: Huntington Beach, California

Huntington Beach; image courtesy Sessions West Coast Deli

2. Point Break

Waves peel slowly and smoothly along a rocky point of land. They’re long, rideable, and legendary.

Famous Spot: Malibu, California

Malibu; image courtesy Surfline

3. Reef Break

These waves explode over sharp coral or rock reefs. Super powerful. Super dangerous. Super cool to watch.

Famous Spot: Pipeline, Hawaii

Pipeline; image courtesy Allwaves

4. River Mouth

Where rivers meet the sea, sand builds up in wild ways—creating fast, shapeshifting waves.

Famous Spot: Mundaka, Spain

Mundaka; image courtesy Mundo Surf

5. Big Wave Spot

A special category. These are massive waves that only show up with giant swells—and only pros should even think about riding them.

Famous Spot: Nazaré, Portugal

Nazaré; image courtesy The Guardian

🎤 Got questions?

Surfing is one of the coolest sports on Earth… but also one of the trickiest to explain.

So we want to hear from you!

Do you have any questions about how it works, who’s the best, or what it feels like to ride a wave? 🤔

Drop your thoughts in the comments, and help us decide if Smallball should dive deeper into surfing!

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Tomorrow, Team #5 is finally coming. (Probably.)

But today?

We’re riding a different wave. 🌊

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Smallball is just for fun.

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