The surfer girl and the spine doctor: Part 2 in Bill's 'Where Are They Now?' series
Dr. Adam Chaifetz, DC, was once a professional skateboarder in the era made famous by the documentary film, “Dogtown and Z Boys.”
He grew up in Fort Lauderdale and took up the skateboard in 1966, and then surfing in 1972. He first appeared in my April 2017 story about the newly opened skate park in Jacksonville Beach.
At one time, he had an office in Ponte Vedra. After a hand injury limited his ability to practice, his career took an exciting new direction. He became the first chiropractor on staff at UF Health. He chose that career path after a chiropractor in California helped him with skateboarding and surfing injuries.
In 2008, he became the program coordinator for UF Health’s Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center and still maintained a part-time practice. Still an avid skateboarder and surfing enthusiast, he frequented that new park in Jacksonville Beach where he was well known by many. Then, it all changed.
“I was rear-ended and it seriously affected my ability to surf and skateboard. I am struggling to keep working and deal with the fact that I can’t be as active as I was and would like to be,” said Dr. Chaifetz of the experience that has greatly limited his favorite outlets.
“I appreciate so much you're covering my story, it has truly been the highlight not only of my career, but my work here. As a disabled person who literally had to retrain in another profession, you have demonstrated that my training, 35 years in practice, and purpose here is meaningful,” he said. “At times I forget, because it is rare that I hear ‘Dr. Chaifetz;’ it’s more like ‘Adam the Coordinator.’ No matter what they call me, I have been called to service and I will always.”
Another story, in October 2020, focused on young Lanea Mons. She took third place in the Women's WaveMasters Pro contest as a petite 11-year-old up against seasoned surfers, many twice her age or older.
Now, at 13, she is ranked 77th in the women’s division of the World Surfing League. She spent six weeks this past winter surfing in Hawaii and was able to live at the famous Rip Curl House on Oahu. It is located near the Off the Wall surf break, just down from the more famous Pipeline.
She was with the ESA All Star team led by head coach, Jason Motes. She was able to enjoy some of the smaller days at the Pipeline and spent huge days surfing at Haleiwa.
According to her father, Chris Mons — also a fine surfer and Mayport bar pilot captain — when she returned from Hawaii, she was surprised to find herself depicted in a window mural at Sunrise Surf Shop.
“Her sponsor, Volcom, put the whole thing together. Daniel Terry of Volcom East asked her surf coach, Asher Nolan, for some pictures to make it happen,” said Chris. “She’s incredibly excited about it and still can’t believe it’s real!”
On the weekend of April 22-24, father and daughter headed to Melbourne’s Paradise Beach Park for the ESA Southeast Regional Championships. Her performance there made her dad proud.
“It was solid 4- to 5-foot surf and high winds the whole contest. She absolutely dominated in the chunky waves. Winning the Under 14 and Under 16 divisions, with good to excellent wave scores the whole time,” he said. “She also was awarded a 9.23 score on a wave in the Under 14 final. It earned her the high score award for the entire competition — girls, boys or adults.”
Writer Barry Pasonki covered the 2022 National Scholastic Surfing Association Eastern Regional Championships for ShredAlert.com.
“On the girls side of the contest, Lanea Mons was the girl to beat the whole event. Daya McCart, Alana Lopez, Kylie Pulchini, Sophia Gamboa, Ava Lavender were also surfing really well. Lanea Mons won the Explorer Girls Division with a combined total of 13.57 in the six-girl final. Lanea consistently got really good to excellent waves throughout the event.
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"The young goofy footer caught magical waves in every heat whether it was high tide or low and had some of the best turns on the outside sections and skated her way to the inside and then threw up one or more vertical snaps on the inside to finish all of her waves,” wrote Pasonski.
Her most recent event was at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, where she won the girls Under 16 and Under 18 divisions. While there, she trained with the junior USA Olympic Team. Early this summer she will return to California to surf Lower Trestles in the USA Surfing Championships.
She is still home-schooled by her mother, Jenny, who also surfs. This accommodates Lanea’s busy traveling schedule, while her father's work schedule is blocked out so he has the flexibility to travel with her. Her main sponsor is Volcom, with additional support from Sunrise Surf Shop, Pyzel Surfboards and Marloru Bags, based in Fernandina Beach. Their help makes it possible to manage the travel and lodging.
Her goal at age 11 was to become a professional surfer. Now at 13, she is well on her way to accomplishing that goal.
Bill Longenecker is a Neptune Beach resident and longtime contributor to Shorelines. Send feedback to shorelines@jacksonville.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: The surfer girl and the spine doctor: Part 2 in 'Where Are They Now?'
