The Ozarks' Own Pro Surfer Joey Harris

Almost as soon as Joey Harris could walk, he could surf. Since then, he’s traveled the world competing—and winning—some of the sport’s biggest competitions. He took first place at the Nautique Masters in both 2022 and 2023 in the Amateur ranks and is set to compete again this August in the 2025 Nautique Wakesurf Series—the largest wake surf event series in the world. His biggest accomplishment to date came last year when he won the overall Nautique Wakesurf Series in 2024 in the pro surf division—his first win as a pro. Joey has gone as far as Fukuoka, Japan, where he won first place at the 2022 Kyushu Wake Surf Festa. At only 20 years old, he’s sponsored by many big-name surf and sports brands like Hyperlite, O’Neill, Nautique Boats, The Harbor and Mendid.

Joey grew up in Southern California and moved to Kimberling City in 2020 when he, his parents and his sister decided it was time for a change of pace. “It’s just been a huge blessing for me and my family,” he says. “God had his hand in everything, too, because my sister and I were homeschooled since seventh grade so I could surf more, and it made the transition way easier.”

The freedom of surfing is what made Joey fall in love with the sport at such a young age. “The ocean—there’s just something about it,” he says. “You feel so connected to God; you’re out there in nature. There’s just energy out there. It’s hard to explain.” Wake surfing is different from surfing in the ocean. Instead of catching a natural wave, wake surfers ride the wake created by a boat. “It’s the next best thing for me,” Joey says, “but I’m not complaining. I get to be out there on an endless wave. It’s kind of a mix between surfing and skating, which I both love, so the fact I can make a living out of it—I’m just so grateful for it.”

Once he moved to the Ozarks, Joey hadn’t considered competing in wake surfing until professional wakeboarder Parks Bonifay encouraged him to give competing a shot. In 2021, he signed up for a contest, entered the junior men’s division and won his division. He’s been training ever since. “Watching Joey achieve success has been inspirational to say the least,” his dad, Joe Harris, says.

From Student to Teacher

In 2024, Joey and his dad opened JH3 Surf Academy, which quickly became one of the most well-known wake surf schools on Table Rock Lake. “We have so much fun together,” Joe says. “Joey is very chill, which makes it easy for us to work together. He’s always coming up with great ideas. Building relationships and having a good time is what we strive for. JH3 Surf Academy doesn’t feel like a job. We get to be outside, on the water, meeting new people and surfing. What can beat that?”

While Joey teaches students of all levels how to surf, his dad handles the boat—a role that takes more skill than it seems. The driver must find the right speed and create the perfect wake, all while staying alert to the surroundings. “We know exactly what each other are thinking,” Joey says. “It’s awesome to be able to work with my dad.”

The name JH3 comes from three generations of Joseph Harris—Joey, his dad and his grandpa—as well as the shared first initial of Joey, his sister Jayden and their dad.

When Joey’s teaching a lesson, his top priority is making sure his student is having the time of their life. Teaching has also made him a better surfer—every lesson challenges him to revisit the fundamentals.