High School Surfing approved for Hawaii – to start spring ’13 school year

The Hawaii State board of education approved surfing in May 2004, but funding, safety concerns, liability and other challenges prevented the sport from becoming sanctioned.

Board of Education member Keith Amemiya said the estimated cost of surfing in the first year will be 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.

Governor Neil Abercrombie, while taking monies from Public Workers, feels that he can come up with the necessary funds to make high school surfing a reality

“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.”

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.

big dog comment:  it would be nice if the state could take that same money raised for high school surfing and properly fund the UHH cross country team!

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