Hawaii First to Adopt Surfing as a School Sport

The Hawaii State Department of Education has approved letting Hawaii high schools launch state-sanctioned surfing clubs, beginning in the Fall of 2006. The coaches of the new clubs will be required to take an ocean safety course, and students must meet a minimum skill level to participate. Some of Hawaii's high schools already have surfing clubs, but in the past they have not been recognized by Hawaii's Department of Education and they were not allowed to use the school's name. After a 30 year effort, that will change for the first time in the fall of 2006. The next step for "surfing in the schools" advocates is for the Hawaii Education Department to accept surfing as a interscholastic league sport so sanctioned surfing competitions between schools can be held.