Janice Aragon has helped groom thousands of groms with dreams of becoming competitive surfers, guiding young athletes in sharpening their skills both in the ocean and in the classroom.
As executive director of the National Scholastic Surfing Association, or NSSA as it is better known, Aragon has organized amateur surfing contests both here and across the country for decades – and a handful of the talented athletes competing continued on to careers in professional surfing.
One of those surfers, San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto, is honoring Aragon for her tireless efforts through the years, choosing her name to appear on his jersey as part of a World Surf League International Women’s Day recognition.
The world’s top pro surfers were tasked with picking a woman who inspired them and they will display their choice on their jerseys during the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal to recognize the trailblazing women. The contest window kicked off on International Women’s Day, Wednesday, March 8.
Aragon, a Huntington Beach resident who was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in 2019, said Colapinto’s selection choked her up.
“I spent many weekends with Griffin up and down the coast watching him compete, always striving to improve, do his best and reach his goals,” she wrote on social media. “As he carved his path to the World Tour, those qualities never changed.”
Colapinto always remained humble and true to himself, and always followed his heart, she said.
“And best of all, he continues to have fun doing what he loves,” she said. “And it was so much fun for me watching him grow up and develop into one of the best surfers in the world.”
Aragon, along with partner Gayline Clifford, holds dozens of contests around the country annually, where young surfers vie for prestigious titles. She’s had world champions such as Kelly Slater and Andy Irons come through the NSSA ranks, as well as current local World Tour surfers Kolohe Andino and Courtney…
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