Grommet (sportsperson)

"Grommet" is a term used to describe a young participant in extreme sports. The term originally was used in the sport of surfing for anyone under the age of 16. However in recent years, the term has been expanded to include other extreme sports, most notably skateboarding and snowboarding. [ [http://surfing.about.com/od/wordortheday/g/042105grommet.htm About.com] ]

The word first became popular in the 1970s as part of Australian slang. It was based on the word "Gremmie", which was used in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s, which was derived from the word "Gremlin". [ [http://www.transworldsurf.com/surf/features/article/0,19929,1191793,00.html TransWorld Surf] ]

The word was originally a derogatory term for an inexperienced surfer, but has become an accepted term for all young participants. For example, the British Surfing Association offers a Grommet Surf Club for young surfers. [ [http://www.surfersvillage.com/surfing/34357/news.htm Surfers Village] ]

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