Professional surfer. Professional BMX rider. Fundraiser champion. Linguist. Public Relations intern. And all-around good guy. Guess who? Drew King.
Most people can easily recognize King around campus, roaming around town or jetsetting off to some exotic location in a faraway place (Fiji, anyone?). The 23-year-old mass communications senior is from Ewa Beach, Hawaii and lives the life.
King had a fairly unconventional childhood, a little different than the majority of the locals around here, as he went to high school in Europe for all four years, German was his first language and he can read Japanese, and then traveled off to military school. King has moved to places including Hawaii, California, Washington, Europe, and Michigan, learning new things from all. Growing up, King lived with his grandparents who have played a steady and significant role in his life, wanting King to experience how different people life in various places throughout the world.
“They wanted me to see the world at a young age and get to see how people life in different places in order to see how the world truly is, while also getting knowledge of how to treat people with different views,” King remarked.
He holds family close and although his schedule doesn’t allow much time to visit with his three siblings and family, King appreciates them for all they have taught him.
Many people know who King is but don’t truly know the story that lies behind the Skullcandy headphones attached around his neck, bright personality or the warm smile. Originally coming to UMaine to join the track team where he ran sprints for three years, King now holds a position as the public relations intern for Curva and initiates as many fundraiser events as he can.
“It was a great experience [running track] and I never thought I would go that far in it or even get a gold medal at New England’s in my college track career. I can’t thank my coaches, Mark and Dave, enough for pushing me to be my best,” King said.
After seriously getting into surfing and riding, King decided to leave his track career behind and pursue other activities. His enthusiasm for extreme sports provided King with an outlet of expression, never thinking anything serious would come out of his love of action.
“In Hawaii you can’t help but push yourself in the water and I got into big wave surfing a few years back because I just love the feeling of pushing my limits. It’s scary and unpredictable sometimes, but that’s what life is,” King said.
King began riding BMX when he was young out of a pure love for riding bikes and his need for speed, “I loved doing tricks on my bike and going fast, I would take my hands off the handlebars and fly down the steps, only to see if I could land it.”
After dominating the biking challenge, King set out to learn how to surf as a teen living by the beach. With a passion for the ocean and the love of feeling it King said, “I always wanted to be in the ocean and didn’t mean to go as far as I have in it, some days I still think its unreal.”
Since leaving the UMaine track team King’s schedule has opened and allowed him to travel in the fall for a few months to go back to the Pacific and surf, “The best season is in the winter which is the reason why I leave around November and return sometime in January. When it comes to the summer it depends on the contest for the BMX season where I’m usually in Europe.”
After doing the math, King came to the conclusion that he spends more hours on a plane than he does in a bed. Seven months out of the year King travels: Hawaii, Tahiti, Bali, Fiji, West Australia, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal, just to name a few.
King participates in numerous competitions including the BMX Worlds in Germany, BMX Masters in Italy, Germany and Prague, the Dew Tour for BMX riding and the Big Wave Tow Season in Australia, Hawaii and Tahiti for surfing. In order to compete in these King has to be invited, for the big purse prizes, but just being invited is a huge compliment. Throughout his travels King has come across several notable individuals, mentioning that meeting Scarlett Johansson made even this celebrity a little star struck.
BMX riding and surfing, while all fun and games, definitely takes a toll on the body and King can certainly attest to that, “I have broken 23 bones, most recently my collar bone and wrist, but it comes with the lifestyle,” King said.
Clearly time management plays a priority in King’s life and it takes a balancing act to keep it all in line. When asked about his hardest challenge he’s had to overcome King said named a few.
“Doubting myself and trying to balance school, relationships and my career are all a definite struggle. I admit I was afraid to walk away from track to pursue surfing and BMX since missing out on college because of a contest or training made things rough. But as time went on I learned how to push through and tell myself I can do this. I have great support now from my family, friends and girlfriend and it does make things easier at times.”
King recently returned back to Maine after a busy season of competing and right now he wants to take time to focus on school, friends and his girlfriend. Right now King is training for his next BMX contest that is taking place in Vegas in March. His plans for the near future include relaxing for a bit to stay focused on classes, spend time with friends and head out to the skate park.
“Hopefully I’ll be planning a fundraiser or another party with something soon. So right now it’s really relaxed until March where it will pick up heavy again.”
After so much success King does all he can to support others and plans to hold an event at least once a month.
“I really want to help other people’s lives in the best way I can and if I have the means to do so why not help someone else. I’ve been really fortunate in my life and I want others to feel the same thing when I wake up,” King said.
Most recently he held a fundraiser in October at Curva in support of breast cancer awareness where he raised over $3000 in just two weeks of planning. King held this event because after doing the Make A Wish Foundation every year for his birthday he wanted to help people out in a big way.
With graduation in May approaching fast, King has a few different plans for life after UMaine, including to keep surfing and biking. King mentioned he hopes to one day open his own surf and skate and shop and to maybe even being his own clothing line.
“I want to get more involved with the background of action sports and to start my own clothing line or skate team along with trying to save as many lives as I can. Ever life goal I had as a kid has come true, including becoming the first person from my family to graduate college.”
All in all, King is a simple kind of guy. One who enjoys making other people happy, “I just like to paddle, peddle and laugh.”
And his famous last words to all of us? “Instead of wish for a miracle, become that miracle.”