A Quick Minute with Team Hawaii Coach Rainos Hayes

Freesurf Magazine: So you guys are about a week away from departing to Ecuador. How’s everything coming along? Rainos Hayes: Everything is coming along really good. We’re really making big strides right now as a team and everyone is really coming together and surfing really strong. I think the training camps we’ve been running have really sparked everyone’s passion about the games. Everyone, the whole team—me, Meagan Abubo, and Kahea Hart—are all really excited and ready to go.

FSM: Once you get down to Ecuador and into the contest, are there any special measures you’re going to take to keep the team healthy and ready to compete?

RH: Yeah, definitely. We’re gonna eat really smart, stay away from raw foods and vegetables and stuff like that. We don’t want anyone getting sick, ya know. But once we start the games, a big part of the focus is going to be keeping the kids hydrated. That’s hard enough as it is over here. But that’s gonna be huge at the games, just keeping their electrolytes up and keeping the team healthy.

FSM: As a whole, it seems like the team has a real “Ohana” feel to it. Would you say that’s accurate?

RH: Yeah, definitely. That’s one of our strongest features. Our whole team is really comfortable and familiar with each other and I think that’s crucial. Our older guys are all really good friends. They travel together and surf together all the time. This year’s team really does feel like a family to me and I think that’s going to show when we go down to Ecuador.

FSM: Okay, last question: You obviously want to walk away with a medal at the end of the games, but other than winning, is there anything else you want your team to grasp at the end?

RH: That’s a good question. Obviously, you want to end up on the podium and that would be fantastic if it happened. But there are other things going on that are really important to the team that I want them to understand as well. Things like being good ambassadors of Hawaii, working as a team, understanding another culture. All of that stuff is so important and if these kids can take something away from these games, I’d want that to be it.

Stay tuned to Freesurfmagazine.com as we chronicle Team Hawaii’s march to Ecuador.