Published September 1, 2006

SURFSIDE BEACH — Attention groms: the beach is the place to be Saturday.

The Texas Gulf Surfing Association is hosting the Taylor Surfboards Grom Roundup beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Surfside Beach’s Stahman Park, 2211 Blue Water Highway across from the crabbing pier.

The event is free to surfers 13 and younger, referred to in the surfing community as groms, and includes three divisions — 13-and-younger, 11-and-younger (mini-groms) and 8-and-younger (micro-groms).

Entrants will receive a free T-shirt, medal or trophy, and a free meal.

A large gathering is expected.

“We had to move up to 50 entries because so many were registering,” Taylor Surfboards associate Chelsea Meador said. “This is not going to be a competition, it is only to give the young ones the heads-up that the season begins Sept. 30. We’ll give trophies to the first four in each division. For 6-and-under, parents can get in the water with them and help them along.”

Registration is being taken at Taylor Surfboards, 1239 Highway 332 in Clute, or by logging on to www.tgsa.org. Children also can register Saturday before the event.

Boards of any size will be allowed, but normally shortboards are required for the groms and mini-groms during the district competition, Texas Open and any other major competitions.

Last year, the Texas Gulf Surfing Association only had two grom competitions, but added two more because of interest. The Surfside Beach event was added along with the a Sept. 16 event at South Padre Island.

“I was just overwhelmed by the great time we had at the two Grom Roundups we did last year,” Texas Gulf Surfing Association President Charlie Cooke said in an interview posted on the TGSA Web site. “Everyone involved agreed that they were such a success that we should have even more of them this year and spread them out along the coast.”

The Texas Gulf Surfing Association is recognized as the official surfing organization in the state of Texas by Surfing America, the national governing body for surfing in the United States.

Joel Luna is a sports writer for The Facts. He can be reached at (979) 237-0161.