Albert Einstein once said, “Any fool can know, but the point is to understand.” That idea sums up the journey of AJ Iredell, a young athlete who has already learned a lot about focus, discipline and failure.
CBS reporter Carter Evans first met AJ two years ago when he was a 12-year-old surf phenom in Southern California — sponsored and headed for the pro circuit. AJ loved surfing not just for the sport but for the people he rode waves with: community mattered as much as skill.
Now, at 14, AJ has switched gears. Jiu-jitsu is his life. He trains six hours a day, has become a world champion in his division, and even has reporters in a gi learning the basics from him. He says he followed what made him happiest and most passionate, and the results followed.
The change required hard choices. AJ stopped competing in both sports and chose to focus on jiu-jitsu. He switched to homeschooling so he could train more, coach younger students, and help run Homefront Fighters, a charity he and his dad Joe started to support military families.
AJ is clear about how he handles setbacks. When asked about failure, he said it inspires him: most people run away from failure, he said; he runs toward it and keeps moving past it. That mindset — put in the work, embrace hardship, and never accept no — drives his daily routine and goals.
His father, Joe, who has five children, says AJ’s temperament isn’t an act. AJ simply sees the world a little differently, and that perspective pours into everything he does. As a dad, Joe says he’s proud.
AJ’s sport may have changed, but his competitive heart remains the same. Whether on a wave or on the mat, he keeps pushing, coaching others, and giving back — a young athlete learning to understand, not just know, what it takes to succeed. Carter Evans, CBS News, Carlsbad, California.