Sean Mattison Explained

Sean Mattison
Birth Date:24 March 1969
Birth Place:Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Residence:Oceanside, California U.S.
Height:5feet
Weight:185lb
Years Active:1988-1995
Major Achievements:
  • United States Surfing Champion 2003
  • Gold Medal as Assistant Coach: 2009 Team USA ISA World Champions
  • Gold Medal as Team USA Participant: 2011 Team USA Master's Division ISA World Champions
Stance:Natural (regular) foot
Best Year:1990 mid season rated #2 Bud Surf Tour, 1990 finished 7th Bud Surf Tour (PSAA)[1]
Favorite Waves:Right hand pointbreaks
Favorite Maneuvers:Front side carves and hacks

Sean Mattison is an American former professional surfer and current professional surf coach, known mostly for designing "The Nubster",[2] a fifth surfboard fin.[3] Mattison is also the designer of his own alternative high performance surfboards and surfboard fins named Von-Sol.[4]

In 2009, Mattison worked as Assistant Coach alongside Head Coach Ian Cairns to coach the USA Surf Team of the 2009 ISA World Championships. The team scored a gold medal, prior to which the USA had not won a Gold Medal since 1996.[5]

Athletic career

Early years

Mattison was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States on 24 March 1969.[6] Mattison moved to Atlantic Beach, Florida in 1973 and started surfing in 1974. By 1977, Mattison started competing in surf competitions in Jacksonville Beach, Florida when he was only 8 years old. Mattison grew up surfing on the east coast in the ESA (Eastern Surfing Association). In 1980, Mattison was a member of the ESA All-Stars with fellow professional surfer and 11x ASP World Champion Kelly Slater.

Mattison also placed fifth overall at the NSSA Nationals and was a member of the NSSA national team.[7]

Professional achievements

Brand and personal life

Retail surf industry

Sean Mattison was the General Manager and Chief Board Buyer for Surf Ride Inc. in Oceanside, California from 1997 through 2007.[15] Mattison was featured in a Surfing Magazine article titled "Lord of the Boards".[16] When Clark Foam, a surfboard foam manufacturer that supplied 90% of blank surfboards in the United States, closed its doors,[17] Surfer Magazine ran its only cover in history to have just a surfboard on its cover. The cover featured the tagline "This Changes Everything", a quote created by Mattison.[18]

Surfboard design

Mattison is the designer of his own surfboard label Von-Sol Surfboards. Mattison, having a former background in design, collaborated with Mike Hynson to make the "Black Knight Quad" a four fin surfboard that had much success in design.[19] [20] [21] Mike Hynson is co-star of the hit 1966 surf movie "The Endless Summer" directed by Bruce Brown.[22] [23]

Another notable design of Mattison's was Kelly Slater's "nubster", a fifth fin that some critics have credited as helping Kelly Slater win his 11th ASP World Championship.[24]

Personal life

In 1990, Mattison married, and in 1993 had his first child.[25] Mattison and his wife are now parents of three children.

Mattison and his family were in an article for Coastal Living Magazine called Hang Ten Holidays.[26]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Professional Surfing Association Of America .
  2. Web site: ESPN Kelly Slater's Fifth Wheel . 26 March 2012 .
  3. Web site: ESPN Fifth Wheel . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023005448/http://espn.go.com/action/surfing/blog/_/post/7119037/kelly-slater-fifth-wheel . dead . October 23, 2011 .
  4. Web site: Von Sol Surfboards .
  5. Web site: Surfline, Team USA Takes Top Honors at Billabong ISA World Games .
  6. Web site: Atlantic Video .
  7. Web site: Surf Coach USA Experience .
  8. Web site: Surfline, Professional Surfing Association of America.
  9. Web site: Rookie Wins Body Glove Surfing . Los Angeles Times, 1990 Body Glove Classic .
  10. Web site: Surfer Magazine 1993 Cover .
  11. Web site: The Man Behind The Boards .
  12. Web site: Surfline, ISA World Masters El Salvador .
  13. Web site: ISA World Masters Punta Roca, El Salvador .
  14. Web site: Jacksonville Surfing Hall of Fame .
  15. Web site: Drift Magazine .
  16. Web site: Surf Coach USA Media .
  17. Web site: Surfer Magazine, Clark Foam Closes Its Doors .
  18. Web site: Surfer Magazine, This Changes Everything .
  19. Web site: Surfride, Black Knight Quad .
  20. Web site: Boardworks, Mike Hynson .
  21. Web site: Boardworks, Von Sol .
  22. Web site: Surf Science .
  23. Web site: DEEP Surf Magazine .
  24. Web site: FCS Fins .
  25. Web site: Eastern Surfing Association .
  26. Web site: Coastal Living Magazine .