The Grit of a Grom

Hey Team!

I’m still buzzing from the weekend. What started as a casual 10 km run ended with me on the beach in Tofino, watching some of the world’s top surfers at the Rip Curl Shortboard Nationals and “Grom Search” North American Finals.

The shoreline was stacked with top athletes: Pete Devries, Reed Platenius, Olympian Sanoa Olin, and a rising star: “grom” Shiloh Page.

But what stuck with me most weren’t the podiums. It was the conversations.
Ricky Page taught me more about surf scoring than I’ve ever known, while Nova Page and I talked about love, life, and everything between heats.

I’ve long admired the mindset of world-class athletes.
But rarely do I get to witness it—and feel it—in someone as young as Shiloh.

A Mental Edge

Minutes before paddling out for the U14 final at the 2025 Rip Curl Shortboard Nationals, I stood on the beach with Shiloh Page—12 years old, full of joy, and already competing against the country’s best in both U14 and U18 divisions. She was in full prep mode: wetsuit zipped, hood on, board being waxed by her dad, Ricky.

I asked her what it means to be start line ready.

She didn’t flinch.

She finished with this:

Not try my best.
Do my best.

If you know Tim Grover—performance coach to MJ, Kobe, and D. Wade, and many more—you may know he drills this point hard: “Trying gives you an out. You don’t try. You do.”

Shiloh did.
She won the U14 division. Podiumed in U18.
And earned her spot to practice—and possibly compete—on Canada’s National Team for the World Championships.

Let that mindset sink in.

This Week’s Shift

This week’s shift? A lesson on failure. It’s what happens after the wipeout—any “wipeout.”

At age 7, Shiloh was surfing off the coast of Del Mar when a heavy wave threw her underwater. Her dad, filming from the cliffs, started counting—fifteen seconds was the threshold. At the 15-second mark, she resurfaced and washed to shore.

Her older brother Elisha met her, crying, and led her to a weathered log on the beach. After a long hug, they sat quietly. Then Eli looked out at the water and said, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Shiloh replied, “Yeah.”

Seconds later, they both attached their surfboard leashes, and they got back in.

If she hadn’t gotten back in the water that day? Her dad and brother both believe that it might’ve ended her love for surfing. Instead, it was a defining moment—one that rewrote the story in real time.

Next time you’re feeling gutted about a failure, remember this lesson: It isn’t about what just happened. It’s about what you do next.

Quick Reminders Before You Start:

HYROX Toronto tickets opened up this week, and will go quick. Who’s in? I’ll see you on that start line.

Rich Roll’s latest pod with champion mountain biker Kate Courtney is a masterclass in sport psychology and finding joy in the hard. Worth a listen.

I was just invited to the men’s Return To Self Retreat hosted by my friend Michael Chernow. Putting it on your radar. If it resonates, reach out with questions or apply directly. Note: Michael has requested serious inquiries only.

Thanks for showing up. Thanks for committing to something big. Let’s make sure you’re ready to catch the next good wave when it comes.

Catch you on the Start Line,
— Matty