December’s Grom of the Month is an inspiring Maui boy that has taken his surf skills around the world, but has stayed humble about his talent and enthusiasm for all things ocean. Grom Jackson Bunch recently took gold in his division at the International Surfing Association World Junior Championships held at Huntington Beach, California in the beginning of November. His passion for being in the water has made him an avid and skilled fisherman, and put him in place as a steward of the ocean and shoreline. You will find him doing beach cleanups wherever he is on the planet.
Name: William Jackson Bunch IV
Age: 15
Instagram: @jacksonbunch
Facebook: Jackson Bunch
Passion: I really enjoy fishing, diving, and hanging out with friends and family.
Why do you love surfing?: It is our culture, we do everything in the ocean. Plus you never know what the ocean will send you. A big barrel or a huge close-out. The adrenaline rush I get keeps me coming back for more.
When did you start surfing?: I am not exactly sure when I started surfing, maybe at 4- or 5-years-old on my own. I have always been in the ocean, either on the front of the longboard with my dad or diving Ho‘okipa spearing maninis.
Community Service: I love beach cleanups not only on Maui but all around the world. Although, we don’t need to wait for beach cleanups to do our part. We clean up and look after our beach and island every day.
School: I have been doing Penn Foster Online Highschool. I am able to get ahead in my classes to travel for surf trips or competitions outside of Maui and Hawai‘i.
Board: I have been riding a 5’8” CF6 model in epoxy foam shaped by Glenn Minami. It is the board that helped me bring a gold medal back to Maui.
Coach: I am honored to be working with Akila Aipa learning the knowledge his father, Ben Aipa, taught him – both legendary Hawaiian watermen, I’m very lucky!
Fave Wave: My favorite wave is either Pipeline, O‘ahu or Teahupoo, Tahiti – both big barreling lefts.
Favorite Food: My favorite food is hands down a big plater off sashimi. Nothing beats fresh fish that you catch yourself.
Grom of the month is a monthly feature where we will select one talented Grom from Maui and showcase them with a pic and a paragraph. Never heard of a Grom? The term has roots in Australia as a slang reference to young surf kids. It caught on in the West Coast and Hawaii where it’s gotten its place in popular surf culture terminology today. Our Grom of the Month will be a Maui youth 17 years or under and have a variety of strengths from community, school, ohana, environment and of course love for the ocean and shredding waves. This project is a collaboration with DoomaPhotos and Jen Russo. Monkeypod Kitchen will be donating a $50 gift certificate to our Grom of the Month, and dinner for 4 prize for our annual Grom of the Year.