Introducing Liz Goosen Surf Shop Manager at long time GSI retailer Third Coast Surf Shop in St Joseph, Michigan.
GSI: Hi Liz, Where do you live and what do you do at Third Coast Surf Shop?
LG: I'm a former Kindergarten teacher turned Surf Shop Manager at the Great Lakes' original shop, Third Coast Surf Shop. I never imagined leaving my teaching career, but life had other plans. One of the most rad things about my role at Third Coast is that day after day, I am still teaching. Instead of instructing mathematics or writing, I now share the stoke with customers that yes, you can surf the Great Lakes. For those customers interested in learning why, I get to delve into the science behind what generates swell on our inland seas as well as discuss so many other aspects that make lake surfing unique ranging from forecasting swell to which board is the right equipment for our lake conditions. I'm grateful daily for the opportunity to share that life is for sure better when you surf the Great Lakes.
GSI: How old were you when you learnt to surf? Where was it and who taught you?
LG: am a Great Lakes kid. I don’t have a defined memory of when I began spending all day playing in the waves or spending all day on the water—Lake Michigan has always existed as a part of my life. Despite my time on the water in my canoe, kayak or SUPs as an adult, learning to surf was a bucket list item for me that stayed on the list as I chased adventure in seemingly every other way possible. It wasn’t until I faced the prospect of never surfing the lakes due to illness that I finally committed to learning as a 40th birthday present to myself. In the most true to myself style, I did not learn through formal lessons rather I chased swells along Lake Michigan with my boyfriend, Tyler. With his guidance, I immersed myself in a range of conditions that make Great Lakes surfing the challenge that it is.
photo supplied by Liz Goosen
GSI: What is the best tip you have for anyone learning to surf?
LG: Failure does not exist, only learning opportunities... Surfing has been one of the most rewarding yet humbling experiences of my life. As someone that typically “full sends” everything, surfing has provided an opportunity for me to slow down and be incredibly intentional with building solid foundational skills. Each session, I reframe my frustrations with maybe not crushing it like I hoped with knowing that time in the water is time well spent. Learning to surf requires patience not unlike the amount of patience required to wait for that quality second or third wave in the set rather than rushing to catch the first set wave—patience pays off!
photo supplied by Liz Goosen
GSI: Tell us about a surf session that really sticks in your mind?
LG: Late last August, my six year old joined us in the water for a sunset sesh. We chased a south a few hours north to a break with a backdrop of Great Lakes dunes which in itself is already rad. It seems surreal yet when I think of how everything came together for one epic late summer session: clear skies with offshore winds, die out swell that still had a lot of juice left in it to surf until last light, and solitude with my fave humans. For me, there is no greater joy in life than shared joy with others and especially with my boys. The impact of the day also left quite the impression on my youngest as the sweetest surprise drawing appeared in my recent Mother’s Day card from Graham: a drawing of us surfing that late August night.
photo supplied by Liz Goosen
GSI: What is your favourite surf spot?
LG: I live and work about five minutes from my home break in Saint Joseph, MI. At home, as soon as I step out onto my deck, I can hear the swell when it’s firing. It is an instant catalyst from sleepy to stoke in the early mornings. While I dig other spots that are more secluded or attached to special memories, there is nothing like being able to rack my board and be in the water within minutes. Proximity means more time in the water before work, after work, and all of the times in between that allow me to get out and chase my joy. I have not quite felt so much at home as I do when in the water at Silver Beach.
GSI: What board/s are you currently riding?
LG: My first board that I treated myself to as a 40th birthday present is a 9’6” Harrier by local shaper, Tim Folkert of Migration Surfboards. I love my hand shaped board but I’m definitely a proponent of softtops, too, and rock the 8’ foamie many days on the water. To round out my quiver for now, I just scooped a 7’4” Salt Gypsy Mid Tide Epoxy Softboard and I am way stoked for how managebale that board is for me! That Mid Tide is a game changer!!
photo supplied by Liz Goosen
GSI: Our company mantra is ‘Life is Better When Your Surf®” how does that statement resonate with you?
LG: Almost a decade ago, I faced a critical illness that nearly ended my ability to live my life as I knew it. I abruptly went from endurance athlete to restricted from exercising due to risk of a fatal reaction. In those years of uncertainty, I struggled immensely with how I would experience joy again; yet, I knew that I could not stop chasing my joy. I pushed my newfound limitations and discovered my boundaries through several feats that led me to know surfing was still on the horizon. After a bout of post-viral myocarditis a few years ago that required cardiac rehab and a momentary reset yet again, I decided that my life would be epically better if I finally surfed. I wasn’t wrong...and now, I sit on my deck amped up by the sound of Lake Michigan’s waves because my gosh, even when the lakes are absolutely challenging me, I am out there smiling.
I will always be a Great Lakes kid chasing my joy whenever that next swell hits.
