by Keith T. Barber
Clay Marzo has a gift most surfers can only dream about. Marzo, a 19-year-old member of Quiksilver’s elite Young Guns crew, has a spontaneous, unpredictable and creative style that has garnered him three National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) titles. Hailed as one of the top young surfers in the world, Marzo finds his sacred space in the water, but on the land, he faces a unique set of challenges. Marzo’s personal journey is the subject of “Clay Marzo: Just Add Water,” which screened at Wrightsville Beach Park on Monday, Aug. 11. In December 2007, Marzo was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), a mild form of autism. People with Asperger’s generally have difficulty reading social cues, and therefore, interacting with others. On the flip side, those with Asperger’s are able to concentrate and focus their energy on a single activity for hours on end.
Jamie Tierney, director of “Just Add Water,” said he hopes his 45-minute documentary dispels the myth that Marzo’s differences should be considered a deficiency.
“It’s a total gift to think about surfing in a way that no one ever has before, make connections other people can’t make,” Tierney said. “I think he remembers every wave he’s ever surfed, so he’s got this amazing catalogue of imagery in his head that he’s already tapping into.”
In “Just Add Water,” interviews with physicians and autism experts make the point that a person with Asperger’s normally finds an area of interest and becomes the very best in that endeavor.
Adam Klevin, the film’s cinematographer, has known Marzo for five years and says it’s unfair to judge Marzo as challenged in any way.
“I don’t think there’s a deficiency there,” Klevin said. “I think it’s what he chooses to do. Like anything in life, if you love something, you’re going to do that more than anything else. People think, ‘deficiency’ or ‘shortcoming.’ Who’s to say what that really is? Maybe that’s the way he wants to go through life.”
Marzo, Tierney and Klevin were in attendance at Monday night’s screening as part of an East Coast tour for “Just Add Water.” The tour concludes on Sept. 7, when Quiksilver hosts its West Coast premiere party in Orange County, Calif. Touring on the professional circuit, and all the public interaction that goes along with it, has long been the most difficult thing for Marzo. However, since his diagnosis in December, Marzo has come to a greater awareness of himself, and has therefore become more confident in his social interactions.
“Clay Marzo has become more comfortable with himself and more comfortable with people expecting things from him — the responsibilities, expectations of kids and corporate people, interviews and everything that goes along with fame,” Klevin said. “He’s definitely blossoming into a better human being every day.”
“Clay Marzo: Just Add Water” will be available in stores in October, and a portion of the proceeds will be given to Surfers Healing, a foundation for autism that seeks to enrich the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing.
