North Shore NewsThe Kahuku Lady Raiders are off to another strong start in high school water polo, winning their first five matches in OIA play. Kahuku is a perennial favorite, having won 15 OIA championships and placed second or third in the state
tournament 12 times. They do this without having regular access to a swimming pool.
Kahuku is the most remote community from any of Oahu’s 21 public swimming pools. The nearest is 22 miles away in Waialua, a 40 to 60 minute drive.
The next closest public pool is in Kaneohe, 25 miles and an hour away. The entire Koolauloa region is disadvantaged when it comes to having a facility to teach their children to swim, to swim for health, to participate in recreational activities, and to compete athletically.
BYU Hawaii graciously allows the Lady Raiders to rent the university’s pool, hire lifeguards and practice in the afternoons, based on availability. Morning sessions are not possible, so conditioning, training, and practice are limited when compared to the private schools and the handful of high schools with on-campus pools.
“We have some of the most talented aquatic athletes on the island. Unfortunately, they are not given adequate opportunity to train and improve,” says Kahuku water polo coach Gina Ahue. “It all comes down to not having the facilities for our swimmers and water polo players to build their skills.”
Coaches from both ILH and OIA support greater access to swim facilities throughout Oahu to help perpetuate and grow aquatic programs that are so greatly underserved. But the need is greater than high school sports teams. Swimming is an essential skill that can save someone’s life and provide lifelong, healthy exercise.
The need for a swimming pool in Kahuku has been well known and discussed for decades. Back when the Kahuku District Park and Kahuku Elementary School were in the planning stages, a commitment was made to build a pool in Kahuku. The desire and need for a community pool is clearly described in the Ko‘olauloa Sustainable Communities Plan, yet no progress has been made in delivering this community asset.
The Kahuku Community Association (KCA) recently formed a task force dedicated to moving forward the construction of a multi-purpose recreational facility and a 50-meter swimming pool in Kahuku District Park. There will be many challenges ahead to realize this long overdue promise, including funding, location and design, but there is no time like the present to start.
If this is an issue that resonates with you, please contribute your thoughts and support. On April 20th at 7-9pm, Mayor Blangiardi will be having a town hall meeting at Lā‘ie Elementary School to listen to the Ko‘olauloa communities. Please join KCA by attending and providing your personal testimonies on the importance of this project.