Shaun Murray has been doing backflips off wakes since most of us were still trying to parallel park. Orlando local. Pro wakeboarder. YouTuber. Three-time girl dad.
The guy’s lived the kind of life teenage you would’ve doodled on a Trapper Keeper.
But here’s the twist: behind all the airtime and American Ninja Warrior backyard antics, Murray’s dad game is straight-up grounded. Practical. Thoughtful. And honestly? Pretty dang refreshing.
The Hard Stuff (AKA: Every Parent’s Tightrope)
Ask him the toughest part of parenting and he doesn’t talk about travel or work-life balance or raising teenagers.
He says this:
“Guiding kids toward making the right decisions and them continuing to like me while doing so.”
That’s the whole job, right? Lead them. Shape them. Nudge them. But don’t lose the relationship in the process.
Shaun’s figured out the rare middle lane—firm hand, open heart. And yes, some laughing in between, because that’s the part he calls the most rewarding.
The Best New-Dad Advice You’ve Never Heard
Most dads would say something like “sleep when the baby sleeps.”
Shaun? He hits you with a mic drop:
“Show up empty-handed.”
Literally.
When you get home, don’t carry bags, boxes, backpacks, or your whole day’s stress through the door. Leave it all in the car.
Now your hands are free—for your kids, for your partner, for the little moment you miss when you’re juggling Amazon returns and a laptop.
You can hug, scoop, wrestle, high-five. You can even invite them outside to help you carry stuff in. This is dad presence in its purest form. Zero cost. Massive ROI.
The Wisdom That Stuck
Shaun’s dad wasn’t dropping Instagram quotes before breakfast—but he did give him two gems that Shaun now passes to his girls:
-
“You become who your friends are.”
Simple. Brutal. True. And maybe the most important filter a kid can learn early. -
Write down the funny stuff.
Kids are walking stand-up specials, and your brain will absolutely forget 99% of it. Shaun’s dad literally kept a book. Shaun keeps a note on his phone. You should too.
A Day in the Life of a Pro Wakeboard Dad
When he’s home, Shaun’s day looks like the ideal mix of discipline and play:
-
Up before 6. Coffee. A few pages of the Bible. Prayer.
-
7:00 AM → Wake the kids, help with the morning scramble.
-
8:00 AM → Office catch-up.
-
Rest of the day:
-
Shooting/editing content
-
Backyard ninja workouts (yes, he’s competed on the show four times)
-
Wakeboarding, foiling, trampoline sessions
-
House projects
-
Cooking on his new griddle (his words: “love it more than a grill”)
-
It’s a buffet of creativity, movement, and dad-ing—exactly the stuff kids remember.
The Good Stuff
Ask Shaun his favorite part of having kids?
“Getting on the boat together. And when they start driving me while wakeboarding—pretty epic.”
That’s a dad dream:
Your kids growing into the life you love, and then literally pulling you into it.
His non-negotiable?
Family trips.
No debating. No rescheduling. Load the car.
When He’s Flying Solo
The dude doesn’t slow down.
He’s either:
-
Playing guitar or piano
-
Running heavy machinery like an overgrown Tonka-truck fan
-
Or even messing with RC equipment like he did on the Sandbox Boys Podcast
If it moves, Shaun’s operating it.
A Few Things Every Dad Can Steal from Shaun
-
Show up empty-handed. The simplest “be present” hack we’ve ever heard.
-
Laugh with your kids. Not at them. With them. It builds something deep.
-
Curate their circle. Because who they run with becomes who they are.
-
Capture the moments. The funny stuff disappears if you don’t catch it.
-
Keep adventure normal. Your hobbies become their memories.
-
Take the trips. Don’t wait for the perfect time. It doesn’t exist.
The Dad Day Close
Shaun Murray proves something big: You can chase wild goals, build a career doing the thing you loved as a kid, run a household, raise three daughters—and still show up at the door with open hands.
Modern fatherhood isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence, momentum, and a little wake spray in the face along the way.
If you want more Murray in your life:
YouTube → @Shaun.Murray
Instagram → @shaunmurray
