Steve Gann
Sandra 1Surfing To Be An Official Sport In Hawaii High Schools
October 4th 2011 03:08
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Surfing To Be An Official Sport In Hawaii High Schools
Freddy Shoop just found his dream job. The surf loving teacher, played wonderfully by the talented Mark Harmon, would probably take this position for free.
Hawaii will soon be the first state in the country to officially add surfing as an official competitive sport in its high schools.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie remarked that, "It's quite clear, when you think of Hawaii, you think of surfing,"
Abercrombie made the announcement at a scenic backdrop of sunbathers and surfers along Waikiki beach. The news conference was held near the statue of island icon Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic gold medal swimmer known as the father of modern surfing.
"Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing. From Duke Kahanamoku to the thousands of residents and visitors who surf both recreationally and competitively, the sport is rooted in our culture and way of life," the governor said.
The state Department of Education is working with the new appointed Board of Education on developing a plan to implement surfing. Judging will be done similar to pro surf meets and there will be an individual boys and girls champions, as well as team champions, similar to golfing, said BOE member Keith Amemiya, former head of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.
The board approved surfing in May 2004, but funding, safety concerns, liability and other challenges prevented the sport from becoming sanctioned.
With the addition of surfing, students in Hawaii public schools will have 19 different sports, believed to be the most in the nation, from air riflery to bowling, producing 44 state champions every year.
Amemiya said the estimated cost of surfing in the first year was about $150,000, with $50,000 already committed through private sources.
The financially-strapped state is confident it will receive the necessary funding gauging from the interest from the community and corporate sponsors.
"Regardless ... we're going to make this work," Abercrombie said. "We're not looking at this in terms of if we don't have all the dollars, we're not going to do anything. Quite the opposite."
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