Surfing is in his blood, but rugby league is the sport that caught Tex Hoy's heart.
The 20-year-old is the son of former professional surfer Matt Hoy and is creating his own path as a professional sportsman — but on dry land.
Two weeks ago Tex made his National Rugby League debut for the Newcastle Knights.
He was more interested in playing a team sport with his mates.
"To be honest you know surfing is more of an individual sport. You've got to focus on yourself," he said.
"You might make some mates along the way, but to be honest you're versing them most of the time.
"I actually never thought that I would go to the NRL. I was just happy to play with some mates."
For father Matt, there was a time when surfing was his whole world.
"Just the joy of riding a wave, really it doesn't get any better," he said.
Two years after the world tour when he won the pro-surfing event at Bells, Matt became the father to Tex.
His dad certainly tried to get him into surfing.
"We went up for a holiday at Byron Bay, I pushed him on to like 10 waves," Matt said.
"He got straight up and surfed for 100 metres or so and then came in and went 'is that it dad?' And I went 'yep'. And he went 'I'm not doing that again'."
Tex said surfing was not for him.
"If you've surfed at Byron before you know how long the waves go for. I just didn't like paddling to be honest," he said.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans have been locked out of NRL games. So Matt had to watch his son's debut from home.
"I reckon he killed it. I was stoked, proud of him," he said.
Surfing may have been in Tex's blood, but his father said he hoped he finds as much success on the field as he did in the surf.
