With only tour veterans qualifying for the WSL Finals, there’s some breathing room to crown the rookies of the year. And in 2021-2022, there was little doubt as to who the honors would go to. Gabriela Bryan was on fire this season. She was the only female rookie to make it past the newly-implemented mid-season cut and ended the season with a ninth-place finish, which means we’ll be seeing more of the 20-year-old from Kauai next season.
On the men’s side, rookie of the year was a bit more contested. A number of injuries opened up plenty of opportunities for newer faces to make their mark. Barron Mamiya, Callum Robson, Samuel Pupo, Jackson Baker and Jake Marshall stepped up, charging past the cut line with ease. Of that healthy field, the question then became “who had the best season overall?”
Samuel Pupo and Callum Robson ended tied for tenth overall, but in the numbers game, Sammy just edged out Callum with heat wins (15 against 14), and average heat score (11.42 to 10.44). But rookie of the year is not just a numbers game. Check out all the best waves from Sammy’s rookie season, above, then see if you agree.
