By Alex Ryden
ESPN Action Sports
Andrew Doheny is finally home. After a month in Australia, weeks in Morocco and days in Nicaragua, he sits in his parents’ beachouse a block from 54th Street and two blocks from the donut shop in Newport Beach, CA. At least for a moment, soon leaving for a boat trip to Indonesia’s Telos Islands with Jack Freestone, Dillon Perillo and the Coffin brothers.
Gallery
Raised in Newport on a competitive diet, Andrew Doheny’s just now coming into his creative own. Gallery 
For Andrew, the past year has been spent in the fastlane — global WQS appearances, enduring a North Shore season, watching his childhood rivals qualify for the World Tour and taking on the role as his own shaper. And as the 19-year-old with one of the best frontside hacks in the game discusses music and art, aggression and love, pressure and expectancy, he questions not only what it takes to rise in the rankings, but what it takes to truly come of age as a professional surfer today.
Are you happy to be home?
Definitely. I’ve been traveling so much lately so anytime I get to stay home for a few days is pretty awesome.
Where have you traveled this past year?
Mexico, Brazil, Morocco, Hawaii, France and Guatemala. I just got back from Nicaragua with Colin Moran yesterday. In a few days I’m heading to Telos Islands in Indonesia with Jack Freestone, Conner and Parker Coffin, Dillion Perillo and a few others with Surfing Magazine.
Do you feel pressure to stand out on a trip like that?
Sort of. But right now I’m at a point in my life where I don’t care about being better than everyone else. I try not to comp out with other kids. They all surf really well and I’m sure they’ll push me. But I just want everyone to have fun.
When was the last contest you entered?
I was just in Australia for about a month and did three contests over there. The last one was at Manly Beach. I did really, really bad. I made maybe three heats out of all of those contests.
How are you approaching contests differently today than when you were younger?
I’ve tried strategies and all that, but I just end up making myself nervous. The waves are usually pretty bad and everyone is overly aggressive. So I really just go out there and wing it. Sometimes it works out.
Have you had a coach at any point of your surfing career?
When I was ten I had this guy named Mike Lamb. He’d tell me stuff like, “Deep bottom turns,” and, “Catch the medium-big ones!” Just kid stuff. You can have as many coaches as you want, but in a heat whoever gets the wave is going to win.
Do you train to stay in shape?
I started surfing to have fun. I just surf. Maybe training works for some people and gives them more confidence. But some people train so much they get to be 200lbs and their arms are as big as my leg. If I get fat maybe I’ll train. But for now I’ll just keep surfing everyday.
How was the North Shore season?
I have no opinion about it. I was there for two weeks and caught maybe four waves.
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Do you feel like you need to prove yourself on the North Shore?
People said that about Dane, but I doubt he cared. He just goes out there and rips. There’s millions of photos of people charging Hawaii. So look at them. I don’t need to go out there and do it too.
Has your sponsor Volcom pressured you to have more of a presence out there?
They’re pretty cool about me doing my own thing. If I did the Volcom Pipe Pro and it was big I’d probably get scared and look like an idiot. I don’t have a desire to do that. I’d rather go on trips and score fun waves.
Is it difficult watching guys you grew up surfing against like Kolohe Andino and John John Florence competing on the World Tour today?
It’s not like, “Oh, they made the Tour? I gotta’ make the Tour.” I’m not thinking about ten years from now and winning titles. I’m just thinking about riding weird boards and playing music. Just one step at time.
So music and art are good outlets for your creativity?
I think surfing bonds really well with music and art. That’s why I don’t understand the jock side of surfing. The sport is such a cool thing and it relates to all these other cool things. It doesn’t relate to being a ‘roid head.
And you’re shaping your own boards today?
Yeah, it’s so awesome. It’s just cool to make your own stuff. No expectations because I always go into it thinking, “Well, this thing is probably going to suck.” So if it works at all it’s a complete success.
Do you think shaping has improved your surfing?
Definitely. I was getting really over surfing lately because my shortboards felt really stale. So I decided to make boards that were weird and would make me want to surf. Now I’m surfing more than ever.
Do you surf your own shapes in contests?
I’ve tried to be professional in contests and ride the boards I know I can surf really well on. But I’m over it now. I want to just surf my own boards even if they aren’t premium performance. And it’s cool because if the board is messed up and I make some heats, it’s like extra credit.
Where do you see yourself a year from now?
Hopefully I’m surfing a little better and making heats. Hopefully my friend and I finish some songs we’ve been working on. Just smiling a lot and having a good time with whatever I’m doing. Because I’ve been really blessed up to this point of my life.
