1987 Phil’s boys Matt and Simon in their teens enjoying the school holidays and sunshine of the Gold Coast.

Shortboards, big logos, and bright colours were the order of the day, while those perfect, peeling waves of Snapper, Kirra, and Currumbin were ideal for honing skills.

The boys are both goofies, but it might not necessarily have been that way by choice. Phil had an obsession with goofy-footers; in fact, he honestly believed that backhand surfing looked more radical. Surfers like Wayne Lynch, Col Smith from North Narrabeen, and Peninsula surfer Alan “Wally” Tibballs had the eye-catching moves of the 70s—namely the backhand re-entry.

In a breakout period, Tibbs blitzed the Quiksilver Trials in 1977 to win a spot in the Rip Curl Pro, and then, with another outstanding performance, was the clear winner of the 1980 Victorian Surfing Titles. Col Smith was another larger-than-life, colourful character. Although he was narrowly beaten in the booming waves of the ’73 Margaret River Aussie Titles, he continued to dominate the surf scene for the next ten years. As a sideline, he raced cars on the Sydney circuit and, at last report, had become an excellent ballroom dancer (that must have come from his mum's side of the family). These guys were the original rubber men, with bodies that could bend and defy gravity.

I didn’t observe it close at hand, but Phil occasionally tells me with pride how he coerced both of his boys from day one to turn their backs on being natural-footers. It amazes me the lengths some parents will go to when it comes to kids and sport!