Disabled List: Luke Stedman Injury Update

COOLANGATTA, Queensland (Wednesday, June 3, 2009) – The world’s best surfers, the gents of the ASP Top 45 and the ladies of the ASP Top 17, make their collective livings by pitting themselves against the elements. Forever pushing the boundaries of high-performance athleticism as well as risking life and limb in some of the most exotic locations on the planet, our surfers are not impervious to injury. Australian style master Luke Stedman, 32, had a banner year in 2008, finishing an impressive 11th on the prestigious ASP World Tour and looking poised to make a dent in 2009. In fact, since his return to the ASP Dream Tour in 2005, the Sydney-sider has improved each season (36th, 25th, 16th and 11th respectively), with a good chance of a Top 10 finish this year. However, a late season injury in Hawaii has put Stedman on the disabled list thus far in 2009, and only recently has the journeyman campaigner been making rehabilitation progress. ASP caught up with Stedman to get the scoop on what happened, how he’s coping and what lies ahead. This…is our story…

ASP International: Hey Luke, hope you’re well. Could you please provide us with a bit of background on how you were injured? When? Where? The specific diagnosis?

Luke Stedman: This injury has been a recurring one for me. It’s happened both times in Hawaii while surfing. This recent time I did it has been way more serious and painful, but I initially thought I could do a similar rehab to last time to get back to 100%. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After five weeks of pretty intensive physio and rehab, I got an MRI scan because I wasn’t healing and felt there was a more serious underlying problem. So I spoke with Dr. Warren Kramer (the surgeon that did Richie Lovett’s prosthetic leg). He assessed the injury and spoke with a colleague of his, Dr. Smith – an orthopedic surgeon, and both agreed that without going under the knife, the injury would never heal and keep breaking down like an old car. So my surgery was to treat a plantar plate disruption with the medial sesamoid proximally displaced. This is the bone under your foot that connects to your big toe.

ASP: What has the rehabilitation process been like? Where have you been recovering? Specific exercises? Current health level?

L.S.: I have only been able to start rehab last week because of the surgery. I have been in an air boot for the last two months, which is such a pain as I feel like I’m a Stormtrooper, but it keeps my foot fully protected. I saw Chris Prosser last week (ASP pyhsio) and he set me up with some exercises. My trainer Jan Carton has also set me up with a program. I have a million different exercises, but it’s not anything I’m not used to. I’m super rested and so amped to get back in the water. I really had to stop doing everything so I have all this energy now and just want to get back in the water ASAP. This has been, by far, the longest time I have ever spent out of the water.

ASP: When not rehabbing, how have you been spending your time?

L.S.: I’ve been watching so many movies – haha. I have to keep my foot elevated as much as possible and the boot just makes you not want to walk around. I have been eating heaps, but I still can’t put on weight – haha.

ASP: Have you been watching the events via web this season? What are your general impressions of the surfing, the rookies and the ASP World Title race thus far in 2009? What do you think of the new ASP format?

L.S.: To tell you the truth, I can’t watch the events. I get really frustrated that I’m not there and it gets me in a little bit of a bad mood. I had such a good year last season so I really wanted to build on that. I decided that while I’m out, I would really take a break from the tour and just work on getting myself back on track. I now feel really rested and super pumped. I know that when I come back I’ll be 100% and want to surf as well as I can again.

ASP: When do you expect to return to competition? Have you been surfing yet? How has it felt?

L.S.: I hope to be in the water in about three weeks. I can start to paddleboard hopefully in two weeks. I can’t wait to just ride a wave. I hope I can still do it – haha.

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Surfers paddled out, joined arms and chanted “Tony” nine times in a circle of love and remembrance for their fallen mate.

The surfers’ farewell at Lyall Bay on Saturday was in calm water, contrasting with the rough conditions five days earlier when musician and surfer Tony Costa died after a collision in the water.

Mr Costa, 33, is survived by his wife of nine years, Sam, and their daughters Jah’min, 9, and Unity, 6.

More than 100 people watched from the shore as surfers paddled into the formation.

Mr Costa’s casket was driven to Lyall Bay after his funeral service at Celebration Fellowship Church in Thorndon Quay. A surfboard was signed with tributes to Mr Costa and messages of support for his family.

“It was the perfect sendoff for the bro,” friend Fiso “Flowz” Siloata said.

“There were so many people. The side of the beach was packed. A DJ played Tony’s music out live while we went out into the ocean.”

Mr Siloata’s son, Star, who was taught to surf and skateboard by Mr Costa, paddled into the middle of the circle to lay a wreath in the water.

Earlier in the week, family members told The Dominion Post about Mr Costa’s love for his daughters he called them his queens his devotion to his music and his passion for living life on the edge. He had travelled to Wellington from his home in Palmerston North to work on an Illyspillaz album with music friends.

Mr Siloata, from hip-hop group Foot Souljahs, shared Mr Costa’s love of music rather than surfing, but entered the circle to pay tribute to his friend of 15 years.

“I just went out there because the bro was trying to get us into the water for so long. We all held hands and chanted Tony’s name. Then all the surfers went out and caught a wave.” It was what “Tony would have wanted”.

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Harry Mayo, an original member of the Santa Cruz Surfing Club of 1936, has been working hard to keep the doors open at the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. Ian McRae, owner of Hula’s restaurant on Cathcart Street in downtown Santa Cruz, handed Harry a check for $860 for the museum from a Sunday brunch fundraiser back in March.

“Ian serves great food and a nice check to many worthy causes in and around town,” says Boots McGhee.

Boys & Girls Club gets $1,000

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz recently received a check for $1,000 from Wells Fargo Foundation. Michelle Bassi with Wells Fargo Bank presented the check to the club recently.

The funds given to the Boys & Girls Club will be used to help with the updating their Education and Technology Department. The Boys & Girls Club currently has two sites serving over 1,400 youth in Santa Cruz County.

LIFE in New York

“LIFE: A Journey Through Time,” multimedia production by Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom, set to the music of Philip Glass, will receive its New York premiere at the Lincoln Center June 10 under the baton of Marin Alsop. The occasion is a gala to launch the World Science Festival, and to honor the distinguished biologist Dr. E.O. Wilson, who will be celebrating his 80th birthday that evening.

Cleanup at Camp Harmon

Last month, five members of the Surf City Kiwanis Club of Santa Cruz: Darwin Hoogenson, Lou Schlumbrecht, Don O’Brien, Jim Riss and Paul Crawford, along with Doug Patrick of the county Commission on Disabilities, spent more than 50 hours on improvements to Easter Seals’ Camp Harmon in Boulder Creek.The crew painted bookcases and storage units in the various camper cabins and enclosed the camp’s stage area and disabled access ramps with plywood sheeting to improve accessibility to the stage.

Over the years, the Kiwanis Club of Surf City, Santa Cruz has sponsored numerous work parties at Camp Harmon, supplying not only all the materials and paint, but more importantly the labor, all as part of Kiwanis’ goal of making the children of our community “Priority one.” As part of its Youth Services programs, Surf City Kiwanis Club also sponsors Boy Scout Pack 633, Cub Scout Pack 616, the Soquel High Key Club, and a number of Little League, Gals Softball and other youth programs.

Awards and honors

• Laura Anne Mello has graduated with honors from Golden Gate University in San Francisco with a double master’s degree in psychology and industrial organization and a graduate certification in conflict resolution. She was awarded the Outstanding Student Award in psychology.

Laura is the daughter of Cindy Moore of Scotts Valley and David and Mary Mello of Scotts Valley. Laura is a graduate of Soquel High School and San Francisco State University.

• Scotts Valley Rotary recently honored the hard-working students of Scotts Valley MiIddle and High School at an awards dinner recently. Winners include: Dudley Mikesell Award for Community Service to Grace Berg; Outstanding Achievement Performing Arts to Arden Kilzer; Outstanding Achievement Visual Arts to Serena Chen; Outstanding Academic Achievement 12th Grade to Emilie Graham, Caroline Sayer, Abby Imboden, Antares Yee and Michael Benko; Outstanding Academic Achievement 11th Grade to Kayla Germany, Lauren Germany, Sharon Chiu, Julia Kernan and Kai Moncino; Outstanding Academic Achievement 10th Grade to Melissa Kumar, Morgan Andrews, Clara Yuh, Maiya Moncino and Catherine Haas; Outstanding Academic Achievement 9th Grade to Renate Mols, Lizzie Zweng, Jordan Rein, Miriam Arghavani and Jaemi Mansfield.

Scotts Valley Middle School Dudley Mikesell Award for Community Service to Sydney Andrews; Outstanding Achievement Performing Arts to Taylor Stone; Outstanding Achievement Visual Arts to Logan Thornley; Outstanding Academic Achievement 8th Grade to Marielle Fesmire, Jessica Granger-Jones, Melissa McGee, Austin Park and Brett Perry; Outstanding Academic Achievement 7th Grade to Mikayla Fish, Brett Klotz, Steve Lonhart, Jason Ritchey and Brett Turner; Outstanding Academic Achievement 6th Grade to Christa Boynton, Melissa Braun, Zoe Hur, Mitchell Pisciotta and Emily Todd.

Scholarship recipients include Samantha Steele, who will study medical technology/environmental science, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Lindsay Walch, who will study architecture at Brigham Young University; Steven Haas, major to be determined, at UC Berkeley; Alyssa Stanger, who will study marine biology at UC Santa Cruz; Flor Monick Trujillo-Ramos, who will study business administration at Bethany University; and Clara Ricabal, who will study nursing at Cabrillo College.

Politicians gather for open house

On May 8, 110 people gathered at Mission Santa Cruz State Historic Park for Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks’ Spring Open House, “Chocolate & Chitchat.” The Open House showcased Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks’ upcoming summer campaign “Discover Our Backyard,” and provided guests an opportunity to mingle with Friends’ new Executive Director Bonny Hawley, former chief of staff to Assembly Budget Committee Chair John Laird and former Assemblyman Fred Keeley.

On hand at the event were emcee and county Treasurer Keeley, Assemblyman Bill Monning, county Supervisor Neal Coonerty, Mayor Cynthia Mathews, Santa Cruz City Council members Don Lane and Katherine Beiers, State Parks Superintendent Chet Bardo, Friends’ Board members and staff, and dozens of parks volunteers and supporters.

Silver Slug scholars

The UC Santa Cruz Silver Slugs retirees presented six student scholarships at their May Dessert Event at the Arboretum. Three of the six scholarships were awarded in memory of Bruce Lane, a respected architect who joined UCSC early in 1964, before the first buildings were constructed. Mr. Lane passed away last October and Lane family members were there to award the scholarships.

Recipients of the Bruce C. Lane Memorial Scholarship awards were Joseph Cresalia, business administration; Henry Mun Hong Dea, biochemistry; and Loc Van Do, health sciences. Silver Slug scholarships were presented to Ezekial Bennett, politics; Jay Roldan, computer engineering; and Lane Sharon, biology.

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