Billabong’s Grommet with a Size 14 Slipper
By Hillary Cramer

Photo by Hillary Cramer

“The doctor said I’m gonna grow to be 6’4…I have size 14 shoes already. The 13s were cramping my feet,” said 14-year-old Billabong team rider Micah Moniz. People have prodded him to play football because he has the size and strength, but Micah is fixed on surfing, and is one of the top grom longboarders on Oahu. At the 2006 HASA State Championships, Billabong and other leading surf companies offered their team riders monetary incentives for wins. This spiked the motivation even higher than it already was. Micah made it to the finals, won first and collected the dough.

Micah is the son of Hawaii’s loved big wave surfer Tony Moniz. In the winter Tony’s Tokoro guns lay across the living room floor, ready to fire when the weatherman airs high surf advisories. When monstrous swells hit, Tony is on the road to the beach before morning light. This past winter, Micah began to join his dad more and more for winter sessions at Velzyland, Pipeline, Off-the-Wall and Haleiwa. One morning this year, Micah sleepily climbed into the truck with his dad. Tony was heading to work, teaching surf lessons in Waikiki, and Micah to school. As they immerged into the intersection near their house, a big V8 sailed through a red light and slammed into Micah and Tony. Tony’s small pickup flew upon impact and was left a buckled wreck. He and Micah miraculously walked away uninjured.   

Center photo by Hillary Cramer. Action shots by Blythe@sunsetwaikiki.com

Micah attends an online school and does most of his schoolwork on his laptop at the dining room table. After school, he calls his buddies, and they hotfoot it to the neighborhood skatepark or the beach. Before he gets the green light to go surf, he and his siblings scurry about trying to quickly clean up the house.

Micah has four siblings who he surfs and skates with every day. The five kids are known around Hawaii. You cannot miss them. When they go to the beach and out around town, they are rarely a group of just five. Usually at least two to six other kids are along with the Moniz kids, and they travel as a pack of jovial, core groms. They all are tan, have highlights in their hair from the sun, strictly sport boardshorts and surf tshirts, and can run circles around your average surfer.

Micah and siblings. Photo by Tammy Moniz

Nalu Underground caught up with Micah recently during a 30-minute window after school and before he was off to skate. He was happy to do the interview and had one small request. “Oh, do you think I can get a ride to the skatepark after the interview?”

Q & A with Micah:

How would you describe the longboard style you and the Waikiki kids have?
Our style is the Hawaiian style, like Uncle Dino [Miranda], Uncle Bonga [Perkins] and Uncle Lance [Ho‘okano]. More powerful than the traditional style. I do noserides but I do more cutbacks, floaters and off-the-lips. I’ve been trying to do 360s...I almost landed one the other day. I landed one and then I was riding backwards and then I slipped. Ahhhhhh!

Who are the toughest longboard competitors in your division in Hawaii?
Micah Miguel, Nelson Ahina, Brandon Kuakini, Jedediah Pacheco, and a few outer island kids. Jedediah is Brian Pacheco’s nephew. Jedediah is so talented, just like Brian.

What is it like to be the son of a well-known surfer?
Kind of weird because all my dad’s old friends, like Martin Potter and all them, the old guys, they always say Oh I remember when you were real small. Hah, I hear that all the time. 

Who inspires you?
My dad is an inspiration because he always pushes me to reach my goals and train hard. He trains me and we do laps, we run, we sometimes paddle and we usually do heats with each other [for practice and fun, the siblings compete against each other in 15 minute heats and their dad judges from the beach].  And Ezra Rodrigues [pro longboarder] because he’s always supporting me. I didn’t have a longboard for a contest and he let me borrow his. And Uncle Bonga, Uncle Lance, Uncle Dino [three of the best longboarders in the world] because they help me out when I surf. When there are good waves at Queens, sometimes Uncle Lance will say let’s have a little contest to see who does the best roundhouse or cutback. I couldn’t do 360s on my longboard but he always is showing me how. And Aaron Gold [Micah’s calabash brother who is a big wave surfer]. You should put him first. Can’t forget Aaron.

Do you know anyone who doesn’t surf?
Hah! Not really…some of the kids at the skatepark don’t surf but they’re super good at skating.

What things in life are most important to you?
My family, my friends and my sponsors.

Who are your sponsors besides Billabong?
Tropical Blends and Spy.

How do you like being the oldest of five kids?
It’s cool. We play a lot. It would be super quiet and lonely if they weren’t there.

Describe the gang.
Seth is 8 and he’s a little, punchy one. He’s not scared of anyone. I’ll be teasing him when he’s mad and he’ll just rush me, jump on me and punch me…and he’s serious [this is comical since Micah is about 4 times Seth’s size]…he likes to provoke too.

Josh is 9. Everyone calls him the powerhouse, because he’s all power and his cutbacks are crazy. He’s an exaggerator and he’s super funny. He’s shy around new people.

Isaiah, hah! Isaiah’s a ripper. He’s 12. He loves girls. He’s girl crazy and he’s a fun kid.

Sister, she’s 13. We call her Sister but her real name is Kelia. She’s like Isaiah except she’s boy crazy. She’s such a good noserider. She got second in the Converse Pro and beat a world champ. She got second in her first pro contest. She takes care of everyone too. When we’re going out, Sister will get the boys [the younger brothers] ready, brush their hair, and pick their clothes because they don’t care. They’ll wear whatever.

How would you describe Tammy and Tony Moniz?
Ha ha… well, my dad is a super good coach. He got taught from the best, by Uncle Ben Aipa. If we lose a heat, he’s not mad. He’s just like Oh well. And if he knows we did well, he’ll give us a thumbs up before we even get out of the water and then I know I won that one. My mom— she’s helping. And she’s demanding, like when she wants us to do something, she wants us to do it that moment. She’s a super good mom. If my dad’s not there, she’s our coach. Every night after we’re surfing all day, she’ll come home and she makes us the best dinner even if she’s real tired. And she teaches us how to cook.

What do you want to do after high school?
I want to go to college, probably go to UH, and try to be a pro surfer.