Surf’s Up in Maui

By Brandon Koo Nov. 12, 2025

With its pristine waters, Maui is a haven for surfers chasing the perfect wave. Now, the island’s infamous coastline will serve as a center stage as Hawaii prepares to make surfing history. Hawaii plans to host the first Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) surfing championship at Ho‘okipa Beach Park on Maui’s North Shore on May 1-2, 2026. The championship will feature longboard, shortboard, and bodyboard tournaments, with boys’ and girls’ divisions across five leagues. Private sponsors—Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Zippy’s and the Hawaii-USA Federal Credit Union—will support the event to ensure that the championship will run smoothly. 

Surfing was brought to Hawaii with the arrival of the ancient Polynesians as they practiced he’e nalu, its direct translation being “wave sliding.” Aside from fostering a spiritual connection with the ocean, surfing also served as a way to display social status. An avid Hawaiian competitive swimmer Duke Kahanamoku greatly popularized surfing in the early 1900s by introducing the sport to people in California and Australia. During a visit to Sydney in 1914, Kahanamoku crafted a surfboard out of local wood and demonstrated wave-riding to curious onlookers. His performances in places like Huntington Beach and Santa Monica drew large crowds, helping spread the sport’s popularity beyond Hawaii. 

Ryan Park Art

For decades, parents and the community leaders of Hawaii have advocated for surfing to become an official interscholastic sport. The supporters held surfing competitions, lobbied for recognition and emphasized surfing’s deep roots in Hawaiian culture. Until 2014, students competed only as a club sport, but that changed when the Maui Interscholastic League began sponsoring competitive meets.  

After years of hard work, the HHSAA approved surfing as an official sport for the upcoming spring season of the 2025-2026 school year with the support of Act 141 funding, a part of Hawaii’s House Bill that established surfing as an interscholastic high school sport. The state committed $685,870 over each of the next two seasons to help establish official boys’ and girls’ teams, provide coaching and support student participation in competitions leading to the state championship. 

Governor Josh Green emphasized that surfing is not just a sport—it is the Hawaiian way of life. He noted that official recognition celebrates Hawaiian culture and ensures that the next generation of surfers can compete alongside other student-athletes across the state. Similarly, Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore added that surfing encourages young people to slow down and connect with something bigger than themselves. 

“The HHSAA state championships could bring more recognition to Hawaiian culture since surfing has a story behind it that not many know about. However,  if the sport becomes commercialized, its cultural value will be diminished,” Nolan Tsai ‘28 said. 

Nevertheless, hosting the championship involves several logistic considerations. This event will require first-aid protocols, certified coaches, and precise scheduling. Equipment standards for boards and wetsuits, as well as travel arrangements for competitors must also be coordinated. Due to nature’s unpredictability, surf conditions and weather may require schedule adjustments, making flexibility an essential part of planning. 

As competitions become official in Hawaii, some wonder if other coastal states could do the same. “Surfing could potentially be introduced as a recreational activity, but officially establishing a league in California would limit participation to a small number of schools, as most are not located near the coast,” Keshav Iyengar ‘27 said. 

Ultimately, the introduction of the Hawaiian state surfing championships is a milestone for many communities in Hawaii and reflects the decades of devotion behind its establishment as an official sport, demonstrating how tradition and modern athletic programs can come together to create new opportunities for students. Surfing’s newfound recognition in Hawaii could inspire schools worldwide to adopt other non-traditional sports, promoting diversity while increasing student participation in sports.

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About the Contributors

Brandon Koo

staff writer

Brandon Koo is a sophomore at Leland High School and a staff writer for The Charger Account. He can be found on the tennis courts practicing, working out, or listening to R&B in his room. Brandon also enjoys going on sunset walks or taking bike rides on the hills.

Ryan Park

artist

 Ryan Park is a junior at Leland High School who is an artist for The Charger Account. When he is not residing at the gym, he likes to mess with his cats and read manga.