- November 23, 2024
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Benji Lacy (left) with the other finalists at a USA Surfing Prime Series East Coast event which Lacy won. Courtesy photo
Flagler County surfer Benji Lacy. Courtesy photo
Benji Laci surfing. Courtesy photo
Benji Lacy was named to the USA Surfing Junior National Boys U18 team. Courtesy photo
Benji Lacy surfing in a competition. Courtesy photo by Tony Caruso.
Benji Lacy with his mom, Charlotte. Courtesy photo
Flagler County surfer Benji Lacy does an off-the-lip maneuver. Courtesy photo
Flagler Palm Coast High School sophomore Benji Lacy was in the Olympic Development Program for soccer when he broke his leg while surfing two and a half years ago.
Ironically, Lacy never resumed his soccer career. Instead, he got into surfing more seriously. Last month, Lacy, 16, was named to the USA Surfing Junior National Boys U18 Team.
Lacy is one of 12 members on the team and one of only three from the East Coast — all three are from Florida. According to USA Surfing’s website, several Olympic and pro surfers honed their competitive skills through USA Surfing’s Prime Series and championship events. That includes Caroline Marks, who, on Aug. 5, won the Paris Olympic Games’ women’s surfing gold medal.
In June, Lacy placed fourth in the U16 USA Surfing Prime Series Nationals at Lower Trestles near San Clemente, California. Lacy accumulated enough points in the East Coast competitions and at nationals to secure his spot on the U18 Junior National team. He finished the season ranked third on the East Coast.
“I’m super stoked,” he said about making the team. “I’m really happy my hard work is paying off. I was a late starter in surfing. I’ve been working hard these last couple of years, and it’s working out pretty well.”
His father, Dr. Ben Lacy, is Benji’s coach. Ben Lacy once considered becoming a pro surfer, Benji said.
“Most of the time people are pushed into surfing, but my dad let me do what I wanted to do,” Benji said. “I started surfing when I was about 8 but I wasn’t doing that many competitions. After I broke my leg (in February, 2022), I was able to surf before I was able to play soccer again, and I ended up liking surfing better and I never went back to soccer.”
His mother, Charlotte Lacy, said the family was shocked by the switch.
“He was really committed to soccer and switched gears,” she said.
This was Lacy’s first year competing in the Prime Series. He won’t turn 17 until next May, so he will have a chance to make the team again next year.
“It’s really cool, now that I’m on the team I will be able to do the trainings with them,” during the competitions, he said. He will be going to trainings in California as well.
After being named to the team, Lacy competed for Sweden in the Euro Juniors in Portugal. He just returned home on July 29. He was able to surf with the Swedish team because Charlotte is from Sweden. But from now on, he will be competing for the U.S.
“We had already booked our flights, so we just went out there,” he said. “I made it to the quarters. The Europeans are good surfers. Portugal was really cool. The weather was kind of like California. There were good waves.”
Surfers on the East Coast don’t see a lot of good waves, which sometimes puts them at a disadvantage. Lacy and Satellite Beach’s Beckham McCart, who won the U16 Nationals, were the first two East Coast surfers to make the U16 final round at Nationals in 10 years, Lacy said.
As a National Team member, Lacy’s schedule just got busier. He is in the demanding International Baccalaureate program at FPC and already has to juggle his competition schedule around his school work.
“You just got to make good bonds with the teachers and try to get them to understand you have a surf contest. And you have to work real hard,” he said. “But surfing helps me relax. It doesn’t hurt me for school. It helps me get my mind straight.”
