Leonard Lau doesn't quite know how to answer people who inquire about his son Ezekiel's status as an up-and-coming surfer.

"Every time somebody asks 'Is he pro yet, or is he still amateur?' I don't know what to say," Leonard said. "He's still in school, so I guess he's still amateur. But at the same time, he's making money because of his surfing. We're still trying to figure it out."

The Hawai'i Surfing Association took a step toward simplifying the questionable status of Hawai'i's young surfers by dropping "Amateur" from its title a year ago. The organization was previously called the Hawai'i Amateur Surfing Association.

"We were the last surfing organization in the country that still had amateur in the title," said Wendell Aoki, director of the HSA. "We were asked by (other organizations) to change the name because the kids nowdays can win so much prize money. Even though we liked the name HASA, we understood why we had to change."

Despite the change, the goal of the HSA remains the same — preparing Hawai'i's young surfers for a potential career in surfing.

The HSA's Hard Rock Cafe Hawai'i State Championships started yesterday at Ala Moana Bowls, and surfers like Ezekiel Lau showed why companies are willing to put money into youth surf contests and youth surfers.

Ezekiel scored a perfect 10 in the semifinals of the prestigious junior men's division, which features many of the state's best soon-to-be world tour surfers.

Ezekiel is 15 and just completed his freshman year at Kamehameha Schools. Last month, he won $5,000 at a junior pro contest in California.

What's more, his primary sponsor, Volcom, paid for his airfare.

Leonard Lau and his wife, Daina, have watched Ezekiel receive similar prizes and trips for the past three to four years.

"It's like a big business, and sometimes we struggle with it," Leonard said. "For a long time, we didn't know what he could and couldn't take."

Leonard and Daina (Baldwin) are former athletes at the University of Hawai'i. Leonard was a football player and Daina was a volleyball player in the late 1980s.

"We couldn't even accept a dinner back then," Leonard said. "So to see my son get all this stuff handed to him ... we realize surfing is just a different sport with different rules, and he's been fortunate enough to win some."

The Laus even checked with Kamehameha officials to see if Ezekiel was eligible for the school's soccer team due to his surfing perks (the money and sponsorships were not related to soccer, so he was allowed to play).

Dave Riddle, a coach for the Volcom team, said the youth surfing scene has changed so dramatically in recent years, the term amateur has become outdated.

"It's a gray area, for sure," Riddle said. "But these kids are filling out 1040 (tax) forms. That's considered work, and that makes you a professional."

The advent of "junior pro" contests around the world have contributed to the ebb and flow of finances for youth surfers. The junior pro contests are for surfers age 21 and younger, and some offer prize purses of more than $25,000.

"It takes total, year-round dedication if you want to make it as a pro surfer," Riddle said. "That means traveling to these different events. If you're not sponsored or you're not rich, you can't make it.

"So, on the one hand, giving money to these kids is good because it helps the parents financially. On the other hand, it's awkward because you're throwing big bucks at little guys, and creating expectations."

Rainos Hayes, a coach for Billabong, said the dropping of true amateur status for youth surfers in Hawai'i was inevitable.

"The route that it takes to become a professional these days is so much longer and difficult than it was just six or seven years ago," he said. "And because surfing is such an international sport, you have to provide these kids with financial support or they won't be able to keep up."

The state championship contest — which does not offer prize money — will continue today and tomorrow at Ala Moana Bowls.