BRYAN HEWITSON, TODD MORCOM INDUCTED INTO East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame
Article by Hillard Grossman

When Bryan Hewitson qualified for the Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour in 1999, Kelly Slater was beginning what would be a three-year "retirement" after winning his sixth world title.

"Guess he knew I was coming on the tour," joked Hewitson, who will be inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame on the evening of Jan. 8 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando during Surf Expo.

Joining him on the stage will be another South Brevard legend, Todd Morcom, the 1990 U.S. Men's surfing champion whose career took him to the gnarly waves of Mexico and well beyond, his tube-riding posters hanging in international surf shops.

And, while the fearless Morcom was chasing his own dream in giant barrels, Hewitson was chasing his on the prime circuit.

A month away from his 50th birthday, Hewitson said he "felt old" when he first heard the news that he was being inducted.

"It didn't hit me at first, but when all these surfers who I had looked up to and competed with while growing up started calling me and congratulating me, it felt like a real accomplishment," the affable Indialantic resident said.

"Hewy" as he is still referred to all these years, qualified for the 1999 45-man WCT roster, coincidentally, with Satellite Beach's CJ Hobgood, who went on the win Rookie of the Year honors and then the world title in 2001.

Having a local connection was great, "but I knew a lot of the guys on the tour and, as surfers, we're all close anyway," Hewitson said.

He competed among the legends, including Mark "Occy" Occhilupo (who won the 1999 world title), Taj Burrow, Shane Dorian, the Lopez brothers (Cory and Shea), and the Hobgoods (CJ and, later, Damien).

Hewitson's 1999 season was hampered by a couple of injuries, and although he accumulated many more memories ("My best wave ever was in Tahiti") than points that year, trying to re-qualify or apply for a wildcard berth just wasn't in the cards since his life's goals changed when his first child was born.

"Don't get me wrong, I could have done it, and I would've liked to do it. I mean, you're surfing in the best waves around the world," he said, "but I had some new priorities at home."

During his career, Hewitson was an East Coast champion, a two-time national champion, and a Caribbean Cup title holder.

More importantly, he helped the USA surf team win the 1996 International Surfing Association World Surfing Games gold medal, although his frequent trips for practice and competition representing the country cost him his diploma from Melbourne High, a shortsightedness from school officials that doesn't sit well with him even today.

Born in Neptune, N.J., Hewitson is still living a laid-back lifestyle in Indialantic, where he grew up, and now has raised five children, the youngest currently age 14. The longtime surf industry representative has been working as a troubleshooter for the local Precision Garage Door company and, occasionally, rides a few waves at sunset across the beach by his home.

Now, he's ready for his Hall of Fame acceptance speech.
"They told me I'll only have three minutes," he said, "but there's so many people I have to thank."

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