Buran Kids September 2011

Greetings everyone! It’s October, and we are now entering my favorite time of the year . . . autumn in Southern California! As we head towards the holiday season, I just wanted to give an update for all of those interested in the current happenings in my life.
First of all, the family is doing great. Jennifer continues to work at Calvary Chapel Schools and has adjusted to the flow of the new school year. Hannah is carrying a full load at Vanguard University, in anticipation of graduating in the spring with her BA in Communications. Leah and her fiancé, Jakeh, are in full swing as they make plans for their wedding day in March of 2012. Timmy is now a junior in high school, carrying a strong GPA while also working part time, coaching gymnastics. Luke began high school and is a linebacker/quarterback on the FroshSoph football team at Calvary Chapel High School. Last month we adopted a cat, his name is Max. Everyone in the family really likes him and he is really cool! Our dogs, Buster and Lilo, like him too!

Joey Surfs Steamer Lane Santa Cruz

Things are going really well at the church, Worship Generation. The pastors and myself took a trip to Santa Cruz for a pastors Conference in early September.

We had a great time, while also catching some waves at Steamer Lane. The church leadership and the congregation are making plans for the holiday season, and the special events that come with it. I am still teaching the Gospel of Luke on Saturday nights, and I recently began the book of James on Tuesday nights. If you are ever passing through and come to a service at Worship Generation, be sure to come up front and say “hi” to me after the service!

In the end of October I will be going to England to help run the British Junior Surfing Championships. I am really excited about this trip and look forward to seeing some of the athletes from this years National Team. Not only will I see old friends, I look forward to making new friends, as I will have the chance to meet some of the new upcoming surfers as well as parents and sponsors. It is going to be an exciting trip! One final note, from the surf aspect of my life, I am planning on having the movie “Beyond the Dream” translated into Portuguese, French, German, and Japanese over the next few months.

I hope all of you have a great autumn and encourage all of us to have thankful hearts toward God for the many blessings He has given each and everyone of us.

God bless,

Joey

Greetings to all!

Joey & Jennifer Buran

It is time for me to give all of you a summer update. We are halfway through 2011 and for me personally it has been a year of great change. My family and I moved from our home of ten years in Costa Mesa to Huntington Beach. We really enjoy being closer to the beach and the lifestyle that comes with it. I also celebrated my 50th birthday in March so in this time of new beginnings for my family, it has also been a time of reflection for me personally. I really enjoy my life and I am so thankful to the Lord for all that He has blessed me with!

Things are going great at Worship Generation. I really enjoy pasturing the congregation and consider it a privilege to work with and serve these people. In January, my associate pastor for many years, Bryan Jameson, stepped out and started a new church in the city of Orange, Orange County Christian Fellowship. I miss hanging out with him, but it has been great to see all that God is doing with him in this new chapter in his life. In July, my good friend and longtime assistant pastor, Jeremy Foster, came on board full time with Worship Generation as the new associate pastor. This is a step forward for the church and will also allow me greater freedom to fulfill some of the other unique ministry opportunities God opens up to me.

Presently I am praying about travel for the rest of the year. Countries like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Venezuela, and England are all on the table for consideration in my future. I really have a heart to build up the Calvary Chapel churches worldwide through the regional pastor conferences and guest speaking, while I also am excited to reach the surf community through showing my movie, “Beyond the Dream”, coaching clinics, and local surf competitions. Each of these countries presents different types of opportunities and I am trying to be sensitive to discern God’s will through each of these invitations.

the Great Britain Junior Surf Team

For those of you that don’t know, since May I have served as the coach of the Great Britain Junior Surf Team. This has been an awesome experience. In May I lead the team at the International Surfing Association World Junior Championships in Puenta Hermosa, Peru. We had a good team and we worked very hard to accomplish an 11th place team result. I will continue to serve as coach in the coming year and will be traveling to England in late September and early October for the British Junior Championships.

I appreciate the interest that anyone has in my life and the work that Jesus Christ has accomplished in and through it. It is my goal to keep this website current and in doing so I hope to encourage and inspire all who come here. Have a great rest of the summer!

Be inspired,

Joey Buran

Beyond the Dream is the inspiring and biographical documentary of legendary professional surfer, Joey Buran. It traces his humble origins from Carlsbad, California to his rise as one of the sports’ greatest athletes. The film follows Buran’s journey to winning the highly coveted Pipeline Master’s Championship in 1984, which left him unfulfilled, leading to depression and a suicide attempt. From fame to obscurity, through tribulations and trials, an unbelievable comeback a decade later, and becoming a pastor, it is a life-changing story that led to Buran’s ultimate discovery for true purpose in his life.

Beyond the Dream Website

PSAA (Professional Surfing Association of America)
Largest Encyclopedia of Surfing
– Jason Borte (updated, February 2010)

Known at various times as the PSAA, the Body Glove Tour, the Bud Tour, the Clarion Tour and simply ASP North America, the domestic professional tour has had its share of ups and downs. From its humble beginnings in 1985 to overwhelming success by 1990 and a gradual decline – and ultimately new millennium death — the circuit provided a medium for Americans and foreigners alike to showcase their talents in the land of opportunity.

By 1979, Joey Buran had conquered the amateur ranks, and he peered over the edge of the earth staring into the precipice. There was nowhere for him to go other than the IPS World Tour. The events were in places such as Hawaii, Australia, Brazil, South Africa and Japan, a world away for a 17-year-old Californian. He went, and had great success, culminating five straight seasons in the Top 16 with a win in the 1984 The following winter at the Pipe Masters.

Then it was time to give back. Wanting young pros to have the stepping-stone he never had, Buran launched the PSAA, offering a few bucks in prize money and an avenue for B-grade Californians. John Parmenter and Mike Cruikshank won the first two years, with the total purse hovering around $40,000. In 1987, it more than tripled, and ASP burnout Mike Lambresi earned his first of three consecutive titles. By number three, Budweiser owned the PSAA, and the annual purse had tripled again, now offering nearly half-a-million dollars in cash. Up until that season, the elder Californians were having their way with the youngsters, and the tour seemed more of a landing pad for ASP rejects than a launching pad for future greats.

Come 1990, a host of burgeoning talent had emerged. Shane Beschen, Christian Fletcher, Dino Andino, Chris Brown, Pat O’Connell, Taylor Knox, Rob Machado and Kelly Slater were on the scene, virtually signing the death warrants of the old guard. All but Fletcher were on their way to the world tour, and this was their coming-out party. Furthermore, the Bud Tour was now being telecast nationwide on a network known as Prime Ticket. Former professional world champ and coach Peter Townend was hired to give the play-by-play, Aussie cohort Ian Cairns was running the show and, to grommets around the country, the Bud Tour was the shit.

In 1992, the ASP abandoned its trials format in favor of a two-tiered, annual qualifying system, the World Qualifying Series feeding the World Championship Tour. Trialists now had to scour the globe for points in hopes of making the cut by season’s end, and no one was doling out more points than the Bud Tour. With the New School heading into combat and another crop close behind, American professional surfing was rosy.

But the writing was on the wall. Tom Curren had “gone soul,” opting for videos over competition and taking a generation with him. As the early ’90s recession milked promotional budgets dry, the number of domestic events evaporated while Australia, Brazil and Europe gradually picked up the slack. As the domestic tour sank, so did the American presence in the upper echelons.

By 1998, the PSAA and its remnants were gone. The subsequent emergence of two new circuits — the Professional Surfing Tour of America (P.S.T.A.) and Fosters’ Pro Surfing Tour — offered hope of filling the void, but not for long. By 2004 both were done, leaving would-be WCT surfers two choices for earning ASP points domestically: praying for a precious slot in one of a handful of select, domestic six-star events (only an option if you were already highly rated);or scrapping on the Pro Junior series (only an option if you were 20 or under.) Anyone else, was back scrambling crisscrossing the planet in hopes of gaining the necessary scores and experience to make the big time.

Where’s Joey when you need him?

Surfline
by – Jason Borte

To a kid growing up in California today, the path to pro world is clear. After the National Scholastic Surfing Association, you move up to the U.S. Tour. If that goes well and your sponsors want to foot the bill, it’s on to the World Qualifying Series and hopefully into the Promised Land before the support runs out.

For Joey Buran in 1978, none of that was an option. The world tour was a burgeoning toddler, and if your passport didn’t say Australia, Hawaii or South Africa, there wasn’t a place for you. At 17, bored with the lack of competition in the Western Surfing Association’s Junior division, he quit school and jumped in the ring.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Buran moved to Carlsbad, California, at age 11. In no time, he was surfing and winning contests all over North San Diego County. He won everything in California and finished sixth in the 1978 World Amateur Championships in South Africa.

During his first year on tour, he made the finals of the Pipe Masters by defeating, among others, two-time reigning champ Rory Russell. Buran finished in the top 30 that season and became California’s first full-time surfer on the tour. In 1980, he won the Waimea 5000 in Brazil, securing a position in the Top 16. Known as the “California Kid,” Buran remained the only representative from the Golden State until 1983. But a major quake was brewing.

It took everything Buran had to stave off Tom Curren the next year. Everyone was already hailing Curren as the savior, but the California Kid wasn’t going to hand over the keys. Buran finished seventh in 1984, one spot ahead of Curren, eliminating his nemesis en route to a Katin victory and culminating the season by winning the Pipe Masters in huge, terrifying conditions. He was the only Californian to win at Pipe until Rob Machado broke through in 2000. It had been a lifelong dream, and Buran saw an opportunity to make a clean exit.

He started the Professional Surfing Association of America the following year, giving young pros an opportunity he never had: to make some money and gain some experience before joining the big leagues. For two years, he was Joey Buran, executive director.

In 1987, frustrated with the thankless position, he bailed, taking several months to regroup and eventually enrolling at Mira Costa Junior College in search of direction. He also attempted a professional comeback, earning spotty results on the tour he created. After one semester, he received an important call that altered his life.

It was God on the line, and he wanted Buran to begin his pastoral internship. In 1991, he all but quit surfing, moved to Virginia Beach and became a pastor at Calvary Chapel. Four years later, he went to Vermont to start a new church in Burlington. After things got rolling there, the Buran family, which consisted of wife Jennifer and four children, relocated to California.

From an eight-year absence, Buran returned to the surfing world, this time working at Surf Ride Surf Shop in Oceanside and coaching young surfers. It didn’t take long for him to find his sea legs, and in perfect Puerto Escondido barrels in 1998, he claimed the World Masters Championship. Billabong soon hired him to coach its team of WQS hopefuls. It was a dream position for Buran, who got another shot at professional surfing at 38. And in the 1999 Pipe Masters, the California Kid made the semis of the trials, narrowly missing a spot in the main event 15 years after his historic victory.

In 2000, he accepted a full-time position with Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and moved his family to Orange County. Then, five years later, Joey stepped out to established a new church under the name of Worship Generation. Already working with Jared and Taylor Thorne — two of the NSSA’s brightest prospects — in 2007, Buran once again accepted the call of “surf coach”, this time to head the National Team for Surfing America – the United States surfing’s governing body. He would resign two years later, but not before helping the US win three ISA team medals: copper at the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships, silver at the 2008 ISA World Surfing Games, and copper at the 2009 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships.

In 2009, Buran’s impact on surfing achieved immortality in two ways: a documentary film of his life and salvation called Beyond the Dream; and his long-awaited induction into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame. Twenty-five years after winning Pipe, The California Kid’s efforts were officially carved into stone.

by: JBay News

Legendary Pipeline Master’s winner Joey Buran will be premièring his new movie “Beyond the Dream” in Jeffreys Bay tonight at Potters Place.

The film is an inspiring biographical documentary of Buran, tracing his humble origins in Carlsbad, California to his rise as one of surfing’s greatest athletes.

Joey Buran began surfing at the age of 12 in 1973. By 1975 he was ranked as the top amateur surfer in California. At the age of 17 he turned pro in 1978 and became California’s top pro that year by finishing 27th in the world.

Making it into the final round of the Pipeline Masters contest in Hawaii that year, he received the nickname of the “California Kid” given to him by ABC’s Wide World of Sports.

Until he left the Pro Surfing Tour in 1985, Joey was recognized as California’s top pro surfer and its trailblazer and ambassador on the world tour.

Beyond the Dream follows Buran’s journey to winning the highly coveted Pipeline Master’s Championship in 1984, which left him unfulfilled, leading to depression and a suicide attempt. From fame to obscurity, through tribulations and trials, an unbelievable comeback a decade later, and becoming a pastor, it is a life-changing story that led to Buran’s ultimate discovery of the true purpose in his life.

The premiere will be on Tuesday 19th October at 7:30pm @ Potters Place

by: Surfers Hall of Fame

The “California Kid” Joey Buran is joining Jeff Hakman, Bruce Brown and Pat O’Connell as the 2009 inductees into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, at 10 a.m. Friday, July 24 in front of Huntington Surf & Sport (corner of PCH and Main).  A former Pipeline Masters Champion and the first California surfer to win a World Tour event, Buran’s foot and handprints will be forever immortalized in concrete alongside surfing’s greatest heroes and pioneers.

“Wow!  We just received confirmation that Joey Buran will be here for this year’s Surfers’ Hall of Fame Ceremony and everyone is so stoked including me,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame Founder, Aaron Pai.  “Joey Buran is ‘The California Kid’ and he showed us how to surf Pipe back in the day.  Joey has done so much for our Sport of Surfing in the past and is still contributing to our sport today as the Coach of the USA Surf Team!  We are very much honored to be able to induct Joey Buran into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame!”
Buran began life landlocked in the mid-west (Cleveland), but moved to Carlsbad in 1972.  He started surfing in 1973 at the age of 12 and by 1975 was already ranked as the top amateur surfer in California.  After turning pro in 1978 Buran defeated Rabbit Bartholomew in his inaugural man-on-man event, won his first pro title in Oceanside and reached the final round of the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii defeating, among others, two-time reigning champion Rory Russell.  He received the nickname “California Kid” from ABC’s Wide World of Sports.

Buran finished his rookie pro season in the top 30, became California’s first full-time surfer on the tour and was voted the “Most Inspirational Surfer” on the IPS World Tour.  Continuing his climb, Joey entered the elite Top 16 in 1980 and remained the only representative from the Golden State until 1983.  The following year (1984) Buran produced a string of victories that included the Katin Team Challenge, Tropix Grand Prix and culminated with surfing’s most prestigious contest, the Pipeline Masters, in 20 foot surf.  He finished seventh on the ASP World Tour ratings and was named the “Most Improved Surfer.”

Joey made a career change in 1985 when he semi-retired from professional surfing and started the Professional Surfing Association of America (PSAA), giving young pros an opportunity he never had: to make some money and gain some experience before joining the big leagues.  For two years, he was Joey Buran, executive director.  In 1987, frustrated with the thankless position, he moved on, taking several months to regroup and eventually enrolled at Mira Costa Junior College in search of direction.

In 1987 Joey answered a calling to serve in the ministry; from 1988 to 1990 Buran was an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel of Vista.  And by 1991 Joey had all but quit surfing and moved to Virginia Beach to become a full-time pastor.  Four years later, he went to Vermont to start a new church in Burlington.  After things got rolling there, the Buran family, which consisted of wife Jennifer and four children, relocated to California.

Following an eight-year absence, Joey re-entered the surfing community as a manager and coach of the Billabong Amateur Surf Team.  In 1998 Buran returned to compete in the Pipeline Masters as well as several other events, winning the Oxbow World Championship in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.  In 1999, Fifteen years after his historic Pipe Masters victory, Joey again tackled the legendary Banzai Pipeline for the final time, narrowly missing a spot in the main event.

In January of 2000 Buran returned to guest speaking and full-time ministry focusing on youth outreach, public school Christian clubs, youth retreats and camps.  After serving at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa for five years Joey stepped out to start a brand new church in Orange County.  Worship Generation held its first service in the city of Fountain Valley in June of 2005.  Joey focused on the priorities of the new church but continued his involvement with the surfing community.

In early August 2007 Joey was approached by Surfing America to become head coach of the US National Team.  On August 8th he accepted the position and presently holds the distinction of being the Pastor of a Church and head coach of the US National Team
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by Transworld

As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 2nd, Surfing America announced that Joey Buran, head coach of the PacSun USA Surf Team, had resigned his position in order to promote a worldwide tour and ministry for his new documentary film “Beyond the Dream: The Joey Buran Story.” Here’s some additional information from the press release issued by the National Governing Body:

“Buran’s resignation comes after two years in the position and a successful effort in keeping the USA Surf Team in medal winning results…

“Working with Surfing America and coaching the PacSun USA Surf Team has truly been a blessing in my life,” said Buran.  “And, while we did not win the Gold Medal as a team, I believe it was a successful effort and am very proud of all we accomplished.”

Under Buran’s leadership, the PacSun USA Surf Team earned three ISA team medals in as many competitions: copper at the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships, silver at the 2008 ISA World Surfing Games, and copper at the 2009 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships.

“Joey has been a tremendous coach and a great friend,” said Mike Gerard, Surfing America’s Executive Director.  “While Surfing America deeply regrets the loss, we are extremely proud and honored to have had Joey Buran involved in the program-and completely understand his desire to pursue the huge opportunity ahead of him.  Joey’s new movie is a very powerful testament that will no doubt make a big impression on viewers throughout the world.  We wish Joey the very best in his exciting new venture!”

Surfing America is in the process of evaluating candidates for the position and plans to have a new coach in place prior to the SIMA Surfing America USA Championships presented by Verizon Wireless in late August.”

Listening to USA Surf Team coach Joey Buran talk about his squad’s chances next week in Ecuador, and you get the feeling that destiny is in the air. It’s been more than five years now since Surfing America took over the reins as US amateur surfing’s National Governing Body. They’ve centralized it, organized it and groomed some solid squads since then. But the gold medal continues to elude them as Australia has gone on to win four out of the last six ISA World Juniors.

We’d like to think that 2009 is different. We’d like to think that our “super generation” – consisting of Kolohe Andino, Evan Geiselman, Conner Coffin and the newly added Ian Crane – are finally of age enough to do some damage in the Under 16s. We’d like to think that Nat Young and Courtney Conlogue are ready to end their amateur careers on the highest note of all. And we’d like to think that Coach Joey Buran – always the man with the plan – has spent enough time with these kids now to really make a difference.

The entire USA Surf Team squad paid SURFING Magazine a visit yesterday as they prepared to take off for Ecuador and battle it out from March 28 to April 5 at a left point/beachbreak combo known as Playa de las FAE. The squad looked serious this time. Decked out in fresh PacSun sweats. Team bus. Handlers. If they were a few feet taller, you’d have thought they were one of the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament. After taking their headshots, doing a group cheer and – at our request – belting out a version of “Proud to Be an American,” Coach Joey gave us a realistic breakdown of their chances at surfing’s closest thing to the Olympics.

Under 18s
“We have one superstar in our Under 18s in Nat Young. He’s the franchise guy and I have high hopes for him. But we also have three real solid surfers who can put together strong results. Evan Thompson and Fisher Heverly are right there. Consistent performances from them should get them 5ths or 7ths. My X factor in the Under 18s is Chase Wilson. He’s my Lamar Odom – he can either get a 20/20 or 0/3, you know what I mean? But the spot is conducive to his surfing. He’s all rail, powerful and the ISA judges love that. I’m banking on Chase to surprise a lot of people.”

Under 16s
“Last time, I thought we had the best Under 16s in the world. But we didn’t – the Brazilians did. But now that Kolohe and Evan and Conner are really of age, I can honestly say that we do have the best Under 16s. These guys are vets, they’ve surfed in the World Juniors multiple times and they know what to do. It’s like in basketball. They’ve been to the Western Conference finals a number of times now. That experience, knowing what to expect, can make the difference between copper and gold. We have one rookie in the Under 16s, and that’s Ian Crane. I think he’s going to do really well down there. He’s automatic in his air reverses, and he was so consistent throughout the trials. Ian is on right now.”

Girls Under 18
“Like Nat, Courtney is one of our franchise players. Since it’s double elimination, I just don’t see how she can get third twice before the final. I have full confidence she will make a strong run for individual gold. Her supporting cast is coming along strong as well. Lani Doherty recently beat Malia Manuel for her first time, which is good timing. Kind of a little reminder going into this World Juniors that they can beat anyone.”

OVERALL:
“Last time around, we had the ball, first and goal on the nine yard line. But then we got called for holding. Then we dropped a pass. Then we fumbled. Basically, everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and we ended up getting the copper. But I have a feeling that we’re going to be able to create our own luck this time. If we do OK, we should medal. But if our guys rise to the occasion, if there’s that defining moment sometime next week where you go, ‘OK. This is destiny.’ Then I’m confident that medal will be the right color.”

The Quiksilver ISA World Juniors goes from March 28 to April 5 at Playa de las FAE in Ecuador. Stay tuned to surfingmagazine.com for daily updates.

This gallery is brought to you by surfingthemag.com
To see this gallery full size go HERE.

The 2009 PacSun USA Surf Team competition squad:

BOYS UNDER 18
Nat Young
Evan Thompson
Fisher Heverly
Chase Wilson
Alternate: Balaram Stack

BOYS UNDER 16
Kolohe Andino
Conner Coffin
Evan Geiselman
Ian Crane
Alternate: Jacob Halstead and Colin Moran

GIRLS UNDER 18
Courtney Conlogue
Lakey Peterson
Kaleigh Gilchrist
Lani Doherty
Alternate: Taylor Pitz