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The DK Boys & their Toys

18th August 2006 Sean Tickner

Will George

Aka Lyman

Will George

Aka Lyman

Will George

Toys Team Rider: Keith Sasaki

Toys Team Rider: JJ Ayala

Toys Team Rider: Raffi Meyer

Aka Lyman and Will George are smashing onto the Bodyboarding scene with TOYS, a brand dedicated to Bodyboarders who love Dropknee. I managed to get hold of the DK duo and pick their brains with regards to their new project, check out what they had to say ...



Full Name: Will George
Age: 27
Home: North Shore/Orange County
Years Bodyboarding: 17

Full Name: Jeffry Aka Lyman
Age: 32
Home: North Shore, Sandy's
Years Bodyboarding: Since I can remember

Travels:
Will: Mexico, Hawaii, California
Aka: California, Mexico, Japan

Any plans to come to South Africa:
Will: Hell yea!
Aka: That would be cool

Who/what inspires you:
Will: Challenges, goals, being #1, freedom, that's what inspires me.
Aka: My family

What do you see in the Future for Bodyboarding:
Will: ToYs BodyBoards taking over! There will be total ToYs team domination this winter in Hawaii ...
Aka: I would like to see more bigger companys getting involved in the sport. Bodyboarding on the X-Games would be cool also.

This last season wasn't such a good one on the North Shore with regards to localism and violence, what are your view points towards violence in the water:
Will: Violence sucks any where in or out of the water. But when you don't respect the locals and drop in on people expect to pay the price. If you don't want to get dropped in on then don't drop in on them.
Aka: that's why I keep to my self, no fights I would rather play with my kids.

What is TOYS all about and how's it going at the moment:
Will: ToYs is all about having a good time, in or out of the water! It's about making sick product that Aka and I would ride and giving that same level of goods to the kids. Are boards that you can buy are the same boards that Aka and I ride.
Aka: Toys is going good, our first boards will be out around the first of September. Toys is about like Will said having a good time.

How did you come up with the idea:
Will: Aka can answer that one.
Aka: from seeing all the kids play in the water at sandy's on there boards. Thats all bodyboards are, just that - toys! We are big kids and we just playing ...

What's the aim of TOYS:
Will: Fun, and toys is going to dominate the DK world. Best DK team, boards, videos, fins etc ...
Aka: I just want to have a good time and have some good boards.

What changes have you seen in the Bodyboarding industry that make you happy and the ones that bum you out:
Will: Good changes are that I think the sport is growing bigger than it has ever been . There are a lot of bad things but I like thinking good not bad :)
Aka: I see a lot more people bodyboarding in the water and thats good. I dont really care about any industry just want to have fun

Your favourite surfspot:
Will: Off The Wall, Insanities, North Shore secret spot...
Aka: Half point, Off the wall, any where in Hawaii

Reefbreak or Beachbreak:
Will: I'll take both when they are good.
Aka: Reef

What started you in Bodyboarding:
Will: My Mom used to take me to the beach when I was a little kid and I would sit and play in the sand all day while she laid out and got a tan. I started to get really bored just sitting there and I would see guys out in the water so I decided to go give it a go.
Aka: I grew up on the North Shore, everyone surfs as soon as you can walk

A couple individual questions:

WILL

Will, what have you been up to prior to TOYS:
Will: Fishing, doing a lot of fishing. Working on a few other projects other then BodyBoard stuff. Just playing having a good time.

What gets you out of bed in the morning:
Will: I have to take a piss. Hahaha yea that right now it is Toys ToYs ToYs.
My brain is working 24/7 right now all ways thinking what we can do to make this the best Board Company ever. Cool ad's, sick videos, etc etc...

Who are your heroes:
Will: No heroes, just people I look up to. Derrick Jetter, Alex Rodriguez, Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Mike Stewart, Micheal Jordan, Dan Marino, Aka, Roach, Keith Sasaki, Kainoa ,Allen Iverson, Lebron James, DMX, Eminem.

What's the worst wipeout you've had:
Will: Hahaha, I had a bad one just this past winter. Paul Cooper and I were out at Pin Balls, that is the point right in front of the rocks at Wiamea Bay. The conditions were really good and we had a new fish eye with a water housing we were trying out. It was not big at all then all of a sudden the swell picked up and it got kind of solid . Paul was in the channel with the camera and he yelled "set" I looked and there was a solid set rolling in. I passed the first one and went on the second one. I took off and got lipped right in the back. I got so worked, and was held under a long time. I lost my board it went all the way to the shore break. when I popped up Paul was in the channel Laughing at me. it was a good time.

If you couldn't bodyboard, what would you do:
Will: I would be a Baseball player and play for the New York Yankee, I would be there center fielder.

Where would you like to see TOYS in the future:
Will: The biggest, the best, number 1. When Kids think DropKnee I want them to think tOyS! The best DK boards of all time and the best DK team of all time!

AKA

Aka, you've got a family, does it change your outlook towards bodyboarding:
Aka: yea a little, I dont travel as much and I do things for them now not me.

What's the one thing you wish you could do before you get that last big barrel in the sky:
Aka: Boat trip Indo, best left in the world with my family, Will, Roach and Raffi. That would be the best.

If you could be anybody else for a day, who would it be:
Aka: Wow, let me think maybe Kobe Bryant or Lebran James

Who do you think is ripping at the moment:
Aka: The same crew as always, Roach, Raffi, Will, Kainoa, Keith. Then the new guys like Mason Rose, Leroy and Lackey - those guys are ripping also.

Three words that best describe you:
Aka: Nice, loyal, honest.

Where would you like to see TOYS in the future:
Aka: Doing good and everyone enjoying the boards, that would make me happy.

Aka and Will, any last words of wisdom for the kids out there in Bodyboarding Land:

Will: Watch out for the toys movie!
Aka: Have fun, enjoy life


Ok, that's about it, thanks again for the opportunity to run the questions past you, looking forward to seeing TOYS over here in South Africa.

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