| She Rips: Alisha Gonsalves |
 Moving On UpOn the rise with Alisha Gonsalves Name: Alisha Gonsalves Birthday: Jan. 6, 1993 Hometown: Honolulu, Hawai‘i Sponsors: Roxy, Al Merrick, The Studio, HawaiiMana Favorite Spots: Bowls, Kaisers, V-land Alisha Gonsalves may technically be an only child, but she's flanked on all sides by her mom's other, so-called children: Rusty, Kai and the newest addition, Sparkles. "She calls the dogs son and daughter," says Alisha. Happily the pups won't outshine Alisha, who's been surfing since the tender age of six. She ends the 2007/2008 NSSA season ranked fifth in the Explorer Girls division, sixth in Explorer Women and eighth in the Open Women’s division. The 15-year-old gets her inspiration from her dad, David “DavyBoy” Gonsalves, who has been by her side since he pushed Alisha into her first wave in Hanalei, Kaua‘i on a family vacation. Although Alisha admits that she didn't stand up on her first try, the regularfoot is doing all the right things with her surfing now, and considers off the lips her favorite maneuver. "It feels pretty good when you make that one," she says. And she even claims a secret weapon, an energizing acai bowl. The Brazilian fruit smoothie and granola combo is the number one thing on her mind before and after a good surf. Surfing has been Alisha’s connection with the world outside Hawai‘i, taking her to California, Australia and Mexico. According to Alisha, her favorite international surf break has to be Snapper Rock on Australia's Gold Coast. She’s well aware of the region’s impressive shark population and describes her scariest surfing moments when somebody spots a shark. Thankfully, shark nets allow her to rip apart the long rights without trepidation. Aside from getting in the water, Alisha's been spending a lot of time training at The Studio, a training center owned by mixed martial arts legend Egan Inoue in Manoa. Under his expert tutelage she focuses on Brazilian-style jiu jitsu for strength and conditioning. She also practices yoga for strength and flexibility and plans on joining Punahou’s paddling team next year, her current alma mater. 
Being a freshman at a new school always comes with its share of challenges, but she has quickly adapted to her new stomping grounds, accompanied by classmate and partner-in-crime Carissa Moore. The two have been friends since they were ten-years-old and are now finding themselves sharing art class and a lot more free time together. Alisha manages to balance school and surfing like a champ and takes pride in keeping her grades up. The ninth grader loves English class, stoking her penchant for writing and reading, especially Harry Potter books. The focused teenager keeps her life healthy and fun, spending the weekends surfing with friends, going to the mall when it's flat and grinding protein shakes. "I like to eat a lot!" she says. Even though Alisha hopes to become a pro surfer in the future, she's still focused on going to college. With her mom, Kris, as an example and inspiration in the classroom (she double majored at UH Manoa while raising Alisha) and her dad to inspire her in the water, Alisha's got all the love and support anyone could ask for. In the near future, Alisha plans on competing in NSSA Nationals and surfing in more pro events like the Roxy Pro, which she competed in for the first time this last year. "I really liked it. I didn't advance, but just the feeling of it. I think it really helped better my surfing."
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