The Family Break

Coco Ho on heritage, Hawai’i, and what surfing teaches a family

Surfing runs through the Ho family the way water runs through the North Shore — it's always been there, and it's never slowed down. Coco Ho grew up on O’ahu with trophies on the shelves, her dad on screen in surf movies, and the beach as the only afterschool plan that mattered. Her grandfather was an original Waikiki beach boy. Her uncle Derek became Hawai’i's first world champion. Her father Michael pioneered professional surfing on the North Shore for over two decades. Her brother Mason became one of the most celebrated freesurfers in the world. And Coco carved her own path — qualifying for the world tour at 17, competing for 11 years, and now writing a new chapter on her own terms. We sat down with her to talk about what it means to carry a legacy, grow up in the water, and still paddle out with your dad every single day. Because ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.

Photo by Brian Bielmann 

Flow Trip: What was life like growing up in Hawai’i? 

Coco Ho: I grew up on the North Shore of O’ahu, which is the surf mecca of the world. So it was really so simple: pretty beaches, beautiful waves. The only after school activity was going to the beach and figuring out how to catch a wave.

FT: Introduce us to your family.

CH: My dad's dad was an original “beach boy,” and they introduced surfing to all the first visitors back in the ‘50s and ’60s. They were some of the first people to share surfing with the world and masses. My great-uncle, Don Ho, was kind of like the Elvis of Hawai’i, and was also actually friends with Elvis. 

My Uncle Derek and my dad became Hawai’ian professional surfers. Professional surfing wasn't really a thing until the '60s and '70s, so they were some of the first to get sponsorship deals and compete. Derek led the way for my dad, who was seven years younger, and went on to be the first Hawai’ian world champion. 

Photo by Brian Bielmann 

And now there's my generation. I have an older brother, Mason, who has carved a career of freesurfing whenever and wherever he wants. I took the competition route, and I competed on tour for 11 years, but am now freesurfing. We have several cousins in our generation, Makoa and Kala, who also are making their names in surfing. 

FT: What's the best part about having a family that's just so entrenched in surfing?

CH: The beauty that we experienced growing up was that in our family’s house we were surrounded by memorabilia, trophies, and crazy old photos. Over at Uncle Derek's house, there's a huge world title trophy, so we were immediately intrigued and interested at a really young age. Then, watching surf movies, there would be no better feeling than when your dad pops on screen: “There's Dad! There’s Uncle!” So it was just being surrounded by it, aspiring for it. It made me love it subconsciously. And then once I began to do it, it was immediately a true love.

Photo by Ryan Miller

FT: Did you feel almost forced into surfing, or was it very natural?

CH: Surfing was something I was immediately inspired to do, just because it was our only after school activity, and it felt like an activity to sneak away from parents. We'd go down to the beach after school, and everyone would be playing around on bodyboards, trying to stand up on them and catch waves. Then someone would be ripping on a surfboard and I'd have to beg my dad for his board. That’s how I got into it. 

Even during that time, my dad was still quite competitive through his late 30s to early 40s, but he never forced us to surf, because he was just out there doing his own thing. So in a roundabout way, we actually had to fall into surfing on our own and teach each other. And it was kind of like that for the whole neighborhood. Once any one of us became serious about it, we then could ask for help, and he'd get us boards for Christmas or take us surfing in more serious conditions. But I am grateful our whole beginning was very hands-off for him and us. It was very simple, he was just surfing, doing his own thing, and like my dad and his brother, Mason and I taught each other.

Photo by Ryan Miller

FT: Were there ever times where you were consciously trying to be your own surfer, or did it always feel like there was a family mojo carrying you along?

CH: When you’re that little, maybe 7 or 8 years old, you don't think that deep, like, “My dad ripped, so I'm gonna rip.” It was so pure, and on top of doing it, I just love the surf culture. I would watch surf movies every day. I’d try to wear what Rochelle Ballard and Megan Abubo — the women I looked up to — were wearing. I was already obsessed with surfing on my own. And then there was the perk that my dad was pretty good at it as well. I'd hear his name on the loudspeaker at the contests, and that was just the cherry on top. 

FT: As you said, Mason became a freesurfer and you a competitive surfer. Do you feel like you grew constantly as a family, or were there times when you were just totally on your own wavelength? Or has there always been a tightness amongst you guys in your various capacities?

CH: There’s always a tightness, simply because we all love the same thing. I genuinely find so much excitement in competition. So while me and my dad were always really competitive and found success in competing, Mason was involved in his own world, but we were also always involved in each other's lives. We were never disbanded or misaligned. And even Mason competed for a long time. And now there's so many new avenues for surfing and longevity in it. My dad is exploring it still, and it seems all new to him, meaning for his generation, there was no other option than competing. So for us, it's so cool to see him like that. I had half my career as a competitive surfer, and now I have this whole new chapter without a jersey. And instead of just seeing that, he’s also living it, too. 

Photos by Ryan Miller

FT: What's it like having your dad be the fatherly figure to you as women’s surfing has exploded? How is he supportive? Is he protective of you? 

CH: He was such a good dad and so close with a lot of the girls. He grew up with a really strong generation of female surfers, so he knew the struggles that women went through as competitive surfers. So for him to have a daughter that is in the generation that's getting equal pay, I think he's not just really proud, but honestly also shocked at how far surfing has come and how big it is. He’s truly stoked for everyone.

FT: And what do you think the most valuable lesson has been that you've learnt from being a multi-generational family, whether it's something you've noticed or something your elders have taught you?

CH: Well, I think it's the importance of the knowledge of surfing. A lot of sports don't celebrate the heritage of their sport, and surfing does that so well. And I don't know if I was a little more advanced in that, because my dad was a part of what we were studying, but I am so in tune and grateful for the way heritage is everything and the homage we pay to the pioneers of our sport. In surfing, it's so strong, it's such a beautiful part of the sport, and we celebrate it every day. And heritage is still so mimicked, in the best way possible. We all try to ride older boards, bring the old ways back in style and strip it back to the simplicity of what surfing was decades ago. I think that's so beautiful and so unique. 

Photo by Ryan Miller

FT: Do you and your family still surf a lot together? 

CH: Definitely — we surf together almost every day. It’s kind of funny: Me and my dad surf more similar waves whereas Mason surfs more dangerous waves. So the correct answer is it's me and my dad surfing together most days. But I think it’s crazy that we are in our 30s and our dad is in his 60s and he is still one of the first guys you call to say, “Yeah, waves are sick. You gonna paddle out?” And in all walks of life, there aren’t many girls that can say they hang out with their dad every day. That's so cool.

FT: Has there ever been a time where your bond has helped shape or level up your surfing or your performance? 

CH: Oh, yeah, for sure. Because when your dad is also your coach, there's this deeper desire to make him proud because it's the name you're trying to represent. It's so much more than just the paycheck or fun of competitive surfing. There is this pride, but it’s a beautiful pride where I just want to make my dad proud. It always would give me this extra fire. Sometimes there were heats where I didn’t have it, and then I’d remember he was on the beach, or even on the other side of the world and just thinking of him would get me to where I needed to be to win the heat.

Photo by Ryan Miller

FT: And in turn, how do you guys support him?

CH: Today, he's 69, and I want to brag and say he’s the best 69-year-old surfer in the world. In this day and age, my job is just to make sure he's surfing. Naturally, he's going to surf with or without me. But I just want to make sure he's healthy and teach him more about health and maintaining muscles. Because he will surf until he can't; he'll paddle longer than he can walk, that's for sure.

FT: Where you guys are at now, you and Mason, in your 30s, your dad almost 70, all situated on the North Shore? Do you feel really comfortable? 

CH: Yeah, I honestly forget how old we all are most days. I feel like we are stuck in this time capsule at age 20. It feels like nothing has changed since our 20s, how we call each other to surf everyday and paddle out laughing. That keeps us so young. Honestly, I think most surfers don't even remember how old they are. I don't know what it is about the sport. It's just so healthy — the sun, the salt water, being away from your phone, and leaving everything on the beach.

FT: What is it about Hawai’i that just breeds these beautiful surf families? Is it the wave quality or is it how beautiful Hawai’i and the history of surfing is there? 

CH: It's the community and culture in Hawai’i. We are almost forced to go to the beach after school, and while you could play soccer for an hour, it's the beach that is your real after school program. And most people's parents surf, so you naturally are intrigued at a young age, and if all your friends are surfing, you're gonna paddle out. So, it's this collective community that gets everyone out there. The waves are amazing, it's warm, and so inviting. Everyone's a product of their environment, and Hawai’i's just made for it.

FT: And do you think Hawai’i is the best place to be raised as a little surf piglet? 

CH: Duh, yes. I think even the water, just how warm it is, makes it perfect. I actually give a lot of credit to kids who grow up surfing in colder water, because that makes everything so much more difficult. Hawai’i is a cheat code to being a good surfer, because we have the best warm water, and endless waves year round.

Photo by John Respondek

Feature image by Ryan Miller