My thoughts on how Hawaii Surf Team is picked
Posted by By admin at 25 July, at 22 : 51 PM Print
I just posted an email i got from Wendell on how you can earn a trail spot into Hawaii Surf Team. If you are wondering how, here’s the link http://www.novusswell.com/?p=1289
Let me start off by saying this has nothing to do with the kids who were in the team in the past. I think they all deserved their spots into the team.
Problem I have is HOW the team is picked. Kids who wants to be the part of the team have always ask me “how do i get in the team?”. All I can tell them to is “You just have to surf well and kiss ass the right people.” There have been NO guidelines to qualify into the team or even be invited to the trial.
There are 4 coaches for the team. At most of the local contests here in Hawaii, these coaches don’t even show up to see the talents. I can honestly say I see Hawaii kids surf contests more than they do combined and I’m just one person. So kids need to surf well when the coaches happen to show up at the event. What if a kid had a bad day while a couple of the coaches are at the event. He’s not even getting an invite to the trail.
The coaches are not there to watch the kids at contests and the contest results don’t mean anything… so what are they looking at? what do kids need to do to get in the team? I have no idea. Kids who were doing better than anyone one else in HSA and NSSA weren’t even picked last year. Was it because those kids didn’t have main sponsors? Was it because they didn’t get along with some of the coaches? Was it because they didn’t kiss ass enough to the coaches?
They decided to have Hawaii World Team divisions at one event to get a chance into the trial. Whippy Yeay! Who has to do this? The kids who have been ignored by these people who pick the team. Not the ones who already got sponsors and being put on the spotlights, those kids are sitting pretty. So these kids who are “nobody” to these coaches have to spend $100 just to surf and hope they have a good day and win. What if a kid who’s been consistant and winning most of the events but have a bad day? He’s out. Good luck next year and thank you for your donation.
I’m not saying i should be included in the picking the team, I just want something fair for everyone.
Here are things I want to see from picking of the team if I had my ways.
- Have “scouts” all over Hawaii, not just Oahu but outer islands too.
- Pick 21 kids (7 kids each division)at the end of HSA and NSSA seasons according to their rankings. They are your most consistant competitors.
- Pick 3 kids (1 kid each division) as wildcards after talking to the “scouts”, the one the coaches and scouts think with little coaching they might become great competitors.
- Have multiple days of trials with these 24 kids and pick 12 kids out from there, not just one day.
- Train with all 24 kids after the team’s picked till the event. Right now, kids who aren’t picked at the trial are given cold shoulders after. Why? Train with them, what if someone gets injured?
- Take all 24 kids or at least one alternate from each division to where ever the event is. Even if they don’t surf the event, it’ll be great experience for them. If they can afford to have 4 coaches, they can afford to take 3 extra kids. If not, get rid of a couple of coaches.
I can go on on about this but i’m going to stop now. Hope the coaches read this and think about it.
KAZ
HSA at State Championship at Bowls
I think your opinion about how the kids and coaches of the Hawaii surf team are picked is completely biased. You are speaking for the unpicked people that YOU think deserve spots. By complaining about how the kids have to pay entry fees to compete in a contest and don’t get to keep their money if they lose is, well, an uneducated and ridiculous complaint. The truth is, no one gets waived entry fees for contests, even if they lose, and it will be the same in the future is professional surfing. Just the same as any surf team like big sponsors such as Volcom, Billabong, Quicksilver, etc., the coaches and other superiors pick their team members based of values and skills that THEY think are important and necessary in a team member. Unfortunately, you are not apart of that choice being made. I think you are being very harsh, in a way that is unfair to the hard working boys and girls who have been chosen to surf for the Hawaii Surf Team. With that said, it takes great responsibility and integrity to coach young kids. You have no right to talk down on the coaches and then proceed to think for a second that your immature opinion is remotely close to a good example of a team coach. You are setting a terrible example of bad sportsmanship and attitude. I understand that this is your opinion and that’s your right. However, you do not have the right to think that these kids who HAVE been chosen don’t deserve it. They have all made great achievements and in turn, who do you think helped them get there? THEIR COACHES.
Kiana Ho, 9 months ago
Hi Kiana, thanks for your comment.
i think you miss understood me on some stuff.
first, about the $100 entry fee to the event into the team trial. I understand every contest has entry fee. I also understand it’s not cheap. I know kids who work part time so save up to do the events and i know many parents give up a lot so their kids can do contests. my main concern was how only 2 from each division will be picked this way into the trial. other 6 from each division will be coaches choice. so if a kid is known and coaches think he should be in the trial, that kid can lose in the first round or does not even have to do this event to the team trial event.
About not being fair to the kids in the team. Like i said on the blog, i feel they all deserved their spots into the team. My main concern was how kids (even the one who were chosen to be in the team) have no idea how they were picked. It is many Hawaii kids goal to be part of this team, yet there’s no criteria or guidelines anywhere. I believe it is only fair to have a set criteria and guidelines for these kids so they know what they need to do to achieve their goal of being part of the team. Right now, kids who are not on the coaches “rader” are doing NSSA, HSA, and other local events trying to get noticed by these people.
Yes, i do agree with you. It does take great responsibilities and integrities to coach young kids. I have no problem with their coaching or how they take care of the team. I do respect what they do, specially because i don’t have the skills to be a surf coach. I have never questioned their abilities to coach kids.
This post was about HOW the team was picked with no clear guidelines available to parents and kids who want to be part of the team.
i have personally seen kids devastated for not even being invited to the trial when they worked hard, saved money to do as many contests as they can, and finished their season at the top of the ratings.
i know these kids think if they finish their season at the top of the ratings, they will at least gets to the trial because that’s how it is with ASP. That’s all they know since no guidelines are available to be in the Hawaii team. So when they are not invited to the trial, they are confused and devastated. it’s like a person finishing his QS season with top 5 world ranking rating and not qualifying to the CT.
i believe if there are clear guidelines and criteria, kids will know what they have to do and what they need to work on.
As i posted on my follow up blog, the coaches have agree to put the guidelines and criteria on their site. http://www.hawaiisurfteam.org
So let’s hope this will provide what kids need to do to be part of the team.
Thanks again for taking your time to leave me a comment.
kaz
admin, 9 months ago