Unlocking Potential: Why UH Should Invest in Sports Where Hawai‘i Shines

Hawaiʻi is surrounded by water, making it a prime location for ocean sports like swimming, sailing, surfing, volleyball, and paddling. Yet, the University of Hawaiʻi tends to focus more on traditional sports like football, basketball, and baseball. Why not embrace the sports where we truly shine?

Many local kids grow up playing and swimming in the ocean, developing natural skills for water sports. Unfortunately, our top swimmers often leave for colleges on the mainland, making it hard for our university to compete at a national level. Hawaii once dominated in swimming, producing Olympians who trained in unique conditions, like irrigation ditches. Today, we haven’t seen an Olympic swimmer from Hawaiʻi since 1976—except in water polo.

One can look back at legends like Duke Kahanamoku, who made history at the Olympics. Our swimming facility honors his legacy, but we’ve yet to cultivate athletes of his caliber. Many talented swimmers chase opportunities elsewhere, while our university’s swim team struggles to compete.

Similarly, our sailing program deserves better support. Despite being financially overshadowed by more popular sports, our sailors consistently rank among the best in the country. It only makes sense to nurture this talent and offer scholarships to attract top sailors to our university.

Hawaiʻi is a volleyball powerhouse, with enthusiastic crowds supporting the Rainbow Warriors. Volleyball is not only popular but also less costly to manage than football. Transporting a football team involves significant expenses, while a volleyball team is much easier and cheaper to relocate.

Given the resources available, why let football dominate our sports budget? There are natural advantages we could build on instead—like rowing, canoeing, and kayaking—which connect deeply with our oceanic culture. Many kids in Hawaiʻi already have experience with paddling outrigger canoes, making it an ideal sport to develop at the collegiate level.

Surfing, too, is a natural fit for us. It’s an official Olympic sport now, and the University of Hawaiʻi could benefit from recruiting and nurturing the world’s top surfers. Our academic programs in marine biology and oceanography attract global talent; we should leverage that same spirit in our athletic programs.

Investing in sports like swimming, sailing, and surfing could elevate our university’s status nationally. Imagine the media attention, sponsorships, and community pride generated by successful local athletes. Instead of relegating water sports to a secondary status, we should champion them, building on our strengths and heritage.

Hawaiʻi has produced only a handful of athletes who have made waves in traditional sports like football and basketball at the national stage. Meanwhile, our unique connection to the ocean positions us perfectly to excel in water sports. So, why not nurture that potential and showcase our state’s true athletic identity?

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