Emma on a fast wave to the top

The 16-year-old Yallingup girl, who was named the sports star for September, is home schooled by her surfing parents and credits her brother for inspiring her to take up surfing at the tender age of 11.

Emma placed third last weekend in the WA junior surfing titles in the U18 blue ribbon event and said she was excited to compete again at the Trigg event.

“We’ll go up there Friday to get some practice in before the event on Saturday and Sunday,” she said.

“Trigg can be so inconsistent and you’ve just got to be lucky so we’ll see how it goes heat by heat.”

The calm young lady laughs at the thought of winning but said it was surprising to be recognised as a rising sports star.

“Yeah it’s pretty cool, I didn’t expect it but it’s awesome to get that support,” she said.

“I just want to keep surfing I never want to stop, I love it.”

Emma is talented and focused, practising her skills at every opportunity the weather provides.

“I like fun-size waves because you can do heaps of turns and catch wave after wave,” she said.

Luke Campbell coached her during the weekend competition, suggesting she needed to ignore the other surfers and keep it simple.

“I was psyching myself out a bit in the final but I have to remember not to worry about anyone else and just do my own thing,” she said.

Her favourite professional surfers are reigning world champion Tyler Wright and 2011, 2013 and 2015 champion Carissa Moore.

“They’re just flawless in their surfing, they have so much power, and I look up to them.”