Ross Williams has built a reputation from pro surfer to coach to commentator that has made him one of the sport’s most trusted names. Photo: WSL
Ross Williams is entering a new chapter in his surf coaching career. He recently announced on Instagram that he will forgo traveling to events with Championship Tour surfers this year, choosing instead to coach at home in Hawaii and spend more time with his family. Williams had been following the tour with John John Florence, Bettylou Sakura-Johnson, and Tatiana Weston-Webb.
The announcement comes eight years after Williams left his commentating role with the WSL to work full time with Florence. The partnership resulted in Florence’s second consecutive title in 2017 and eventually a third title in 2024. During that time he also ushered Sakura Johnson onto the CT and guided Weston-Webb to three top-five finishes. The 49-year-old Hawaiian has built an impressive résumé since transitioning to coaching and commentating after a professional surfing career of his own.
“(On tour), whether it’s the actual coaching and trying to get your surfers to compete well, or even just having dinner or getting boards ready, it’s 24/7,” Williams told The Inertia while driving through patchy cell service on Oahu’s North Shore. “That’s the part that can be taxing. There’s no real downtime. You’re embedded with that surfer.”
“But you definitely have times of fun and find moments to grab some surf – it’s not like it’s agonizing,” added Williams. “It’s an awesome job, just the time away from the family and home is the biggest sacrifice.”
Williams’ shift in focus is by no means a complete career change. He’s still going to be a surf coach and wants to hone his lessons towards technique. He’ll continue to work with surfers like Luke Swanson and Finn McGill. Plus, he’s discussing coaching arrangements with some “pretty big names and tour surfers” that wouldn’t require travel to events. A few of the years with Florence – coincidentally when he was going through injuries – Williams coached virtually, so it’s a system with precedent.
With a large body of coaching work to pull from both on and off the tour, Williams says his biggest learning as a coach has been that the job goes far beyond just technique and tactics. There is the human side of athletes and the emotions they face throughout their careers.
“My biggest takeaway, in a nutshell, is the emotional part of (coaching) – how much these surfers have to persevere through the ups and downs,” said Williams. “It’s hard to stay steady. It’s easy to get emotional and break down, so it’s a tough job being a tour surfer. But one of the more satisfying things or goals of being a coach is keeping your athletes focused.”
When asked if, with the hindsight of today, he would change anything about his coaching career, he simply responded, “No, not really.” But he did acknowledge that he’ll miss the downtime with the traveling CT entourages that were like a family on the road.
One of the perks of Williams’ stay-at-home career shift is that it opens his availability up again for commentary work in Hawaii. He’ll make a return to the booth for the season-opening event at Pipeline.
“My passion is surfing, coaching, and commentary, so whenever I can do it and it fits in without taking me away from home too much, I’ll still do that,” Williams concluded. “I’m excited to do Pipe.”
