Surfing Becomes Hawaii's 21st Official High School Sport

In July 2025, the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) officially added surfing as its 21st sanctioned sport, a milestone backed by state funding under Act 141 (HB 133). The move gives student-athletes across the islands a formal pathway to compete for their schools, with eligibility, coaching standards, and championship structure now falling under the same HHSAA framework that governs sports like football, volleyball, and paddling.

HHSAA executive director Chris Chun called the addition a milestone for student-athletes statewide, noting that surfing's inclusion recognizes what has long been a defining part of life in Hawaii and gives young surfers the same recognition, support, and school pride afforded to athletes in other sports.

The sanctioning set the stage for the state's first-ever HHSAA high school surfing championship, held the following spring at Hoʻokipa Beach on Maui.