Success can be measured many different ways. Awards, recognition and fame are what many people consider to be the hallmarks of success.
Atlantic Beach resident and professional surfer Karina Petroni looks at success through a slightly different frame of reference.
Surfing since the age of two and competing since she was nine, 20-year-old Karina is currently the youngest surfer to have amassed three amateur championships and a "pro win."
As a woman who found her direction young and has remained focused on achieving her goals, Petroni was an example of what many parents would want their child to be until a family crisis made Karina and the rest of the Petroni Family reevaluate their priorities.
In 2006 Karina’s father, Gerard Petroni, suffered an aneurysm. The event brought the Petroni family closer together but put Karina’s career on hold.
Through the support of the family Gerard began to recover and with the encouragement of her family Karina went back to competitive surfing, but the life changing events she and her family had endured changed their outlook on what is important.
"The lifestyle (of a pro surfer) can be self indulgent, I wanted to give back. After 10 years I lost a little of the gratification that I get from it and wanted to do something more," said Petroni.
With this in mind she and her family have begun the Never Quit! Tour. The idea came from the realizations that the family made as they coped with Gerard Petroni’s recovery and the name is taken from one of the first things that Gerard wrote, prior to regaining his ability to speak.
"This is not about surfing, this is about life and the bigger picture," said Erik Petroni, Karina’s brother and coach.
The Never Quit! program is comprised of several components. The first is a lecture where Karina Petroni will talk about the importance of setting and pursuing both short and long term goals. As someone who found her direction early and has been able to achieve success young she feels she can offer insights for teens and young adults and be a role model within their own age group.
"From 15 to 25 years old is a critical time of growth and self realization, I think that with me being a young female I will be able to connect with them," said Petroni.
She also plans to talk about being environmentally conscious and the importance of recycling and supporting "green" companies.
As a professional athlete, Karina has to stay in top shape, so she will promote keeping healthy through a good diet and exercise, being aware of genetic predispositions to illnesses and avoiding drugs and alcohol.
Finally she plans to talk about the importance of family. This last aspect is particularly important to Karina and her brother Erik.
"We want kids help their parents to be healthy and to encourage kids to have good relationships with their parents," said Erik.
Along with Karina’s presentation, they plan to host the Never Quit! Beach Festival, which will include a beach clean up, skating tips, and surfing lessons for both kids and adults. As part of the festival, parents will be encouraged to have health screenings done to check cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides and those that do will be eligible for prizes including a cruise, a Karina Surfboard and one on one coaching for kids.
"I see this as a way to give back; I would love to bring this message to a wider audience," said Karina Petroni.
The Never Quit! Tour will debut at Ponte Vedra High School on March 12 and appear at Nease High School on March 13. The Never Quit! Beach Festival is scheduled for May 31. For more information about the Never Quit! Tour contact Erik Petroni at 904-887-9595 or visit www.karinapetroni.com
