By Katherine Nichols
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sam Steamboat Mokuahi has been working to get outrigger canoe paddling into O‘ahu public schools for decades.
Last fall, when paddling was sanctioned, he got his wish.
But even with the first official season nearly completed, he knows his work is not done.
Students from 20 high schools will compete in the O‘ahu Interscholastic Association outrigger canoe championships at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Ke‘ehi Lagoon Beach Park. These are the first official championship races, and what many people — including Mokuahi — hope is the beginning of a new era in paddling.
"I didn’t have an easy life," said Mokuahi. "But (paddling) kept me busy and kept me away from the bad elements. It builds character. It helps physically and mentally. It made me a better person. Hopefully everybody else can get the same feeling."
Mokuahi, 66, is also helping each school build its own canoe — 22 in all — in a shop at Kaiser High School with a $12,000 grant from Tesoro Hawai‘i.
Like all others involved, he is a volunteer. However, his limited time with the students has become a challenge in the canoe-building process. But he is determined to get all 22 built.
"I came this far," he said. "I’m not going to give up now."
Nathan Hokama, communications manager for Tesoro Hawai‘i, said the company liked the idea of providing funds for the kids to build their own canoes because of the educational and cultural opportunities it offered.
But those weren’t the only incentives for Tesoro’s involvement.
"It created another sport where kids have to do well in school so they can continue to participate," said Hokama.
Tesoro also supplies the varsity boys, girls, and mixed team awards, as well as the Tesoro Hawai‘i Cup, given to the high school with the most combined points throughout the season.
While Tesoro provided "seed money to get the program going," said Hokama, sanctioning as an official sport allows OIA to get funding, of which there currently is none.
"All we need now is to get a budget for it," said Mike Viernes, a teacher at Kaimuki High School and volunteer head coach for its paddling team.
Until that happens, however, plenty of volunteers have made the first official season a success, including members of the Na Opio Racing Association.
Each canoe club in the association adopted a school, helping with everything from fund-raisers to meals.
"We provide canoes, coaches — as needed — paddles, practice sites, the race venue, and race officials," said Teddi Anderson, president of Na Opio.
"Paddling is our Hawai‘i state sport," she said. "The private schools have it. Now (public school students) can paddle for their school, and they really seem to to have that school pride going.
"Plus, it’s a sport that any kid can do. We really get a lot of kids who are first time athletes paddling."
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