Moran keeps rising

There was a time not too long ago when Colin Moran competed in various sports.

The Newport Harbor High junior-to-be loved to surf since he was 5. But he also had fun playing volleyball, baseball, soccer, basketball and other sports.

But when he was 11 he stopped playing games and stuck with surfing. The love for the ocean and the waves hit him while playing baseball.

“I just wanted to surf more than anything,” Moran said. “It sucks when you’re on the baseball field and you know there are perfect waves you’re missing.”

Moran, who lives in Costa Mesa, continues to surf and he keeps on excelling. For the fifth straight year, he was named to the PacSun Surfing America USA team. He was one of four selected to the 18-and-under team from the entire nation.

Last week, Moran was honored by the City of Costa Mesa during a council meeting.

“I was kind of nervous,” Moran said. “I don’t really like crowds that much. But I was stoked to get the award from the city.”

Moran better get used to big crowds. For the first time, the 16-year-old will compete in the U.S. Open of Surfing, which begins Saturday in Huntington Beach.

He’s competing as a junior surfer.

“It’s a really good event to show how you can surf,” Moran said. “It’s a great contest to win because there are so many people around.”

A win at HB for Moran would be huge and would add to his already impressive resume. He is ranked No. 29 on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals Junior Tour, for 20-and-under. He was recently named Orange County Surfer of the Year’s Rising Star, presented by US Open of Surfing. The vote was left up to fans.

Moran plans to pick up more fans. He was part of Newport Harbor’s National Scholastic Surfing Assn. national title in 2010. He helped Newport to a third-place finish this year.

Moran knows that becoming a pro surfer is the ultimate goal. He continues to work toward that goal. He trains at least three times a week.

His father, Mike, got him into surfing. Moran doesn’t remember the lessons, but he was 5.

“He started to push me into the waves and it just stuck,” Moran said.