Bruna Schmitz knows the ocean like the back of her hand. As someone who has been surfing professionally for years, Bruna found her calling early, and it’s paid off—since the age of 14, she’s been an ambassador for Roxy (one of our amazing sponsors at our Austin Pop Up!). Below, we chat with Bruna about her work, the water, and her favorite Roxy gear.

You’ve been surfing since age 9 and spent much of your teenage years traveling internationally for competitions. What did your travels teach you about leaving your comfort zone?

Everything. Traveling alone was a constant feeling of stepping out of my comfort zone, but I was young, blissfully unaware, naive, and didn’t have a lot of fears and doubts so it allowed me to grow up quicker and take care of myself and others around me. You make friends all around the world and become open to explore the unknown. It's been an amazing journey and I like to think I made it because I didn’t give up.

You were the youngest athlete to win a professional event in Brazil and competed professionally for 12 years before joining the Roxy team as an ambassador. What does your role with Roxy entail?

I joined Roxy at the age of 14, so I’ve been with Roxy for most of my career.

My role is to hopefully inspire young girls to follow their dreams whatever it may be. Growing up, I wanted to be a part of the Roxy team so badly—they had this group of girls who got to travel the world, surf, and they had so much fun. I remember thinking: I want to do that, I wanna be that. And I followed through. I became that. So with this legacy that Roxy has—one of being true to yourself and being exactly who you are—I hope I can inspire other girls to do the same. There is a little work involved: traveling, campaign, events—but I love every aspect of it.

What does your training routine/schedule look like?

I surf as much as I can. It does depend on nature, so it’s not something I can schedule every day. Sometimes we don’t get waves for weeks, so I just try to stay active every day; I do a lot of yoga and some pilates, and we snowboard a lot during winter, which I love.

What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?

It used to be winning events. It’s the best feeling in the world, but I don’t compete anymore, so nowadays it’s when girls tell me I inspired them to start surfing, or impacted their lives in a positive way. And being a face of a brand that sends girls this message to chase your dreams, do what makes you happy, be yourself…that’s something I’m super proud of.

“Do you want to live wondering, or do you want to give it a go? That’s my approach when I come across something unknown.”

Surfing doesn’t come naturally to most people. What advice do you have for newbies, not just to surfing, but to any dream that feels totally out of reach right now?

The most important thing is to try—there is no harm in trying. Surfing is a difficult sport; you’re dealing with the ocean, which is so unpredictable. You have to put a lot of time and effort into it, but you also know right away whether you love it or hate it. And that’s like everything in life—it either resonates with you or doesn’t. I don’t think there is a lot that’s out of reach—we put limitations on ourselves, create fears and obstacles that stop us from trying something new. But you have to ask yourself: Do you want to live wondering, or do you want to give it a go? That’s my approach when I come across something unknown.

What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?

Being approached to shoot a Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. I remember being so confused as to why they chose me. I had no idea how big it was—I still lived in Brazil, I was so young and so out of the picture. I asked the editor how she found me and she said she Googled “cute surfer girl,” found a photo of me smiling, and decided I was the girl.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Do it because you love it, not because you have to. (Dad)

We’ve gotta know—what are your favorite of the latest pieces from Roxy?

My faves from this season are:

Taste of Tomorrow Long Sleeve Wrap Dress

West Cozy Place Strappy Jumpsuit

Beach Classics One-Piece Swimsuit (American Beauty Polkadot)