New club bringing youth to the sport

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The canoe club of tomorrow begins this year.

Members of Keola O Ke Kai Canoe Club stretch and get loose before taking to the water. "We stand in a circle to represent one 'ohana," said Charlene Kahai, 16 and a sophomore at Radford. "Nobody is allowed to stand in the middle or on the outside. Everyone is equal." Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

"We don't feel pressured or scared in any way," head coach Gino Dayton said. "This is something we've been working on for a few years, so we're happy just to have the opportunity."

Canoe paddling has become one of the state's most popular recreational sports, and more than 8,000 paddlers are expected to compete this summer. Age divisions range from 12-and-younger to 55-and-older. Sign-ups already are under way.

There are two organizations on O'ahu, and the Na 'Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a is scheduled to begin May 29.

OHCRA is the state's largest organization, and Keola O Ke Kai is not expected to compete with the bigger clubs for championship trophies. At least not yet.

"This is our first year, so we just want to learn as we go," Dayton said. "We're starting off small."

They are also starting young.

Keola O Ke Kai means "the life and strength of the sea," and the club is looking to build around teenagers.

The club will have around 80 paddlers this year, and 70 or so of them will paddle in the youth divisions.

"The whole reason for starting this club was to have a program for the kids," said Jennifer Romano, one of the club's founders. "It's not just about paddling, it's about learning and steering the kids in the right direction."

Dayton and Romano coached the canoe team at Radford High last season, so many of the paddlers followed them to Keola O Ke Kai.

Dayton is also a security officer at Radford.

"I talk to some kids here and there to try and get them to come out," Dayton said. "But the kids do most of the advertising themselves. They bring out their friends. I'm actually kind of surprised we have this many."

"I play volleyball and tennis, but this is something different," said Bartolome, 15. "This is like one big team — a family. Other sports, we're close as a team, but nothing like this."

As Dayton put it: "We don't like to call ourselves a club. We like to say we're an 'ohana."

The youth paddlers practice during the weekday afternoons at Ke'ehi Lagoon. Every practice session starts with the paddlers forming one big circle for stretching and calisthenics.

"We stand in a circle to represent one 'ohana," said Charlene Kahai, 16 and a sophomore at Radford. "Nobody is allowed to stand in the middle or on the outside. Everyone is equal."

OHCRA president Hannie Anderson said Keola O Ke Kai was voted in this year in part because of its focus on youth paddlers.

"We don't let just any club join," Anderson said. "They have to prove a lot, especially in their first year. But I have a lot of belief that this club can do it. They're doing it for the kids and that's what we need.

"You have to look at tomorrow, not yesterday. That's what we like about this club."

Keola O Ke Kai was also allowed to join OHCRA because it has already obtained a koa log. The paddlers are expected to help carve the log into a racing canoe by the 2007 season.

"We have a master carver, but we're all going to assist," Romano said. "It's educational for the kids and when that log is done, we can all say that we had a hand in it."

Romano said the youth paddlers will also make a trip to Hilo next year to plant koa seeds for future generations.

"Education is the priority," Romano said. "And then the paddling part comes next."

Kahai added: "We're here to have fun, cherish the Hawaiian sport of canoe paddling and make new friends. If you do that, it doesn't matter if you finish first or last, you still feel like you won."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.