After several years of discussion, planning and navigation through logistical hurdles, official high school team surf competition is expected to finally become a reality this weekend.

Teams from Castle, Kahuku, Kaimuki and Kalaheo are scheduled to compete tomorrow in what is believed to be the first Department of Education-approved surf competition between schools. The tentative time is set for 8 a.m., but the location is to be determined pending surf conditions.

A hotline has been set up with updated information: 262-8894.

The competition is not sanctioned by the O'ahu Interscholastic Association or the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association, so surfing still is not an official high school sport. It is classified as a "club" type extracurricular activity.

But that still is considered a big distinction several years in the making.

Individual students have competed in events promoted as high school competitions before, and groups of students from the same school have entered unofficially under different team names.

But it took DOE and Board of Education approval to get clearance for official school competition, which wasn't easy because of logistical and liability concerns.

For example, coaches had to first complete a four-day Ocean Safety Management course before being approved. Insurance policies had to be negotiated and paid for.

It was determined that students must supply their own boards.

And as an official school extra-curricular activity, all participants must meet the DOE's academic requirements of at least a 2.0 grade point average with no "Fs" in a core subject.

Only the aforementioned schools ended up fielding teams so far.

But tomorrow's competition — surf permitting — is looked at as a big step toward eventual full acceptance as a high school sport.

"At least we're going in the right direction," said Kaimuki coach Scott Shibuya, who also has coached paddling at the school. "(The official competition) is something we can do to help legitimize the sport."

Shibuya takes his team of nine or 10 surfers out to practice at Diamond Head "Cliffs" or Waikiki "Pops." He said the group includes "about 60 percent girls" and several students who have only recently learned how to catch and ride waves.

OIA executive director Dwight Toyama said there hasn't been much recent discussion by his athletic directors council regarding surfing becoming a league sport, but noted that several of the OIA's newer sports began the same way surfing is being introduced now, at the club level.

"I think down the line it's a possibility on that (league) level," Toyama said. "You need enough schools to petition for it, and I don't really know how close we are. But the first step is it needs DOE student activities certification."

Now that surfing has that, it needs experience at the competitive level, which could start as soon as tomorrow.

MOANALUA TO FORFEIT TWO OIA HOOPS GAMES

The OIA's eligibility committee has ruled that Moanalua's boys basketball team must forfeit two regular-season games for using an academically ineligible player, Toyama said.

The player's ineligibility was belatedly discovered on Feb. 23, the final day of the state tournament. Moanalua had advanced to the state semifinals, losing to Kamehameha-Hawai'i with the ineligible player sitting out.

The player received an "F" on his report card that was posted Jan. 23, which should have immediately placed him on "academic progress report."

But the Moanalua staff member who evaluated the athletes' report cards did not see the "F," and the player competed in every Moanalua game until Feb. 22.

Toyama said the OIA eligibility committee — made up of several school principals — determined that Moanalua should forfeit two victories, making its record 6-6 instead of 8-4.

Toyama said the playoff results will stand, because forfeits would not change who advanced in the brackets now.

OIA VOLLEYBALL TEAMS 'DOUBLE UP' GAME NIGHTS

Besides playing in the spring for the first time, OIA boys volleyball teams will have a new schedule format in which they play two matches on the same day.

Three teams will play at one site, with each team playing the other two. The regular season begins today.

OIA boys volleyball coordinator Neal Takamori said the new format will save on travel costs.

Read Wes' blogs on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.