The Mac Daddys Garrett & Liam McNamara MOst people see guys like LIam and Garrett McNamara as Golaiths of the northshores big wave arena but when i called for this interview Liam was coaching jr baseball at sunset beach elementary and Garrett was taking his daughter to town to buy her a new nighty for her slumber party that evening. "theres a lot of similarities to having kids and surfing pipeline" says LIam stating that sometimes dealing with kids can be just as "wild", "radical" and "stressful", but he also recognizes that his time with the kids is time for him to enjoy and just be a kid "instead of being an agressive surfer out in the water" Garrett agrees saying "I get just as much fun takein them around" and even though being with his kids doesnt give him the rush that he gets surfing, it gives him "the love" The McNamara family seems to have found a great balance in making surfing a part of their lifestyle family and business. The two brothers who admit to being extremely competitive since they can remember seem to have found a way to use this competition to encourage each other and feed each other to become extreme, surfers, businessmen, pioneers and fathers. "hes the best father ive ever seen as far as putting time in" says Garrett who would be following his brothers example when he says ""i love being with my family thats why my goal in life is to be able to take them every where i go" Liam and his wife Brandi feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take their kids all throughout California, the east coast, Tahiti and Fiji and that it has been one of the great privilages of a pro surfing career. Even at only 7 and 9 the children love the memories they have had traveling saying "we get to meet different people" In turn, when Liam and his family faced a very challenging time 2 years ago after a devestating injury breaking his femur in 2 places leaving him with an iron rod from knee to hip, he sees it as "really fortunate" that Garrett then "went on the biggest role of his life and got some of the heaviest waves in the history surfing" "Its put the McNamara name as a stronger name in the surfing world" says Liam. Both still feel there is longevity in surfing, whether it be coaching managing, surf lessons, surf tours or in Liams case helping his enterprenuering wife with her surf shop. They are all options to give back and stay in the business of surfing if he so chooses to step down from his throne at Pipeline. There is also a chance he might consider joining his brother Garrett and tow in as part of a retirement plan Garret says he has set up to take care of his family until he is atleast 50. When toggling with the battle between family time and surfing time Liam comments that "as long as im there for those good days all the other days dont really mean much thats the time when i spend the time with my kids doing what they wanna do" and Garrett explains that "the time i put into surfing make it real quality time, not just chasing a rainbow" which is what they attribute part of their sucess for building a strong family. The other part is having God as their back bone"its really important its what keeps families together" says Brandi "all of us are really spiritual in our own ways" The children of the McNamara Bunch are more like brothers and sisters than cousins especially the two eldest (Makai and Arianna) who were born 47 hours apart in the same hospital and still see each other everyday at Sunset Beach Elementary. Sunset Beach El and the northshore is like a big family says Liam "we all watch out for each others kids." Liam who feels that he wouldnt be where he is without people who helped him when he was young truely gives back to helping the other kids on the northshore. He asists with jr baseball, takes a van ful of kids surfing and a skate team to California and is very involved in his kids along with the families of others and is proud to be the Dad at the house that all the kids hang out in. When aking what the ocean and surfing means to these families " its pretty much everything, its a lifestyle" says Garretts wife Kani. Both families stress the importance that they don't push their kids to surf but hope they will always love the ocean and be watermen in their own way. Both families would like to thank their sponsors and kids sponsors for helping fuel this blessed life that they adore.