Later, as a teenager, Kekoa is still surfing competitively — a rising star destined for fame and fortune — but he has become cocky and hangs out with the wrong dudes. He continually butts heads with the surf contest director Dick, who in turn makes it hard for the boy. Though Kekoa lives at home, it’s not a pretty place, as both he and his mother get beat up by her boyfriend. While partying with his girlfriend Lily at a local dance one night, Kekoa sees a girl get slapped around by another boy and he intervenes to protect her. Kekoa loses control and nearly kills the boy in a fit of rage. He ends up in juvenile jail and is kicked out of the surf association, smashing his dream of surf stardom.

A Slap Upside The Head.
In jail, Kekoa gets beat up by the other guys, develops a bad attitude and tattoos himself “Champ”. He reads how his friend Nick makes the pro tour and that Lily has been hired as a photographer. When Lily comes to visit Kekoa in Jail, she ends their relationship. His life sucks. At an assembly in jail one day, a group of older ex-cons come to talk to the young men about avoiding the life of crime. The final speaker Bully Kealoha, had been surfing’s world champ and lost it all to violence. Kekoa listens up. Kekoa and Bully meet at lunch and discover they are both from the Westside. Bully offers to help the kid when he gets out. Kekoa is arrogant but knows the old guy has been to the top, and he desperately wants to get there himself. They meet up a year later and a humbled, desperate Kekoa, asks for his help. Bully slaps the kids ego, but agrees to help.