Chaminade University of Honolulu

Athletics

Chaminade ‘Ohana Paddles Out in Renewed ‘Surf Hui’ Tradition at Waikīkī

Surfing is Hawai’i, and Hawai’i is surfing.

The sport of surfing traces its roots to ancient Polynesia, was perfected here, and was later popularized from these shores, spreading to the world. Surfing is by far Hawai’i’s most successful cultural export. Now, Chaminade University’s leadership is determined to revive a campus surf club tradition that fell by the wayside during the pandemic.

Lance Askildson, Ph.D., Chaminade’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, is an avid surfer. For 20 years, Askildson has been riding waves and improving his craft. He even brings his surfboard with him to work most days, so he’s ready to hit the water again after classes before the sun goes down.

Eager to share his passion, this past weekend Askildson hosted the first of what will become many ‘Surf Hui’ gatherings at Waikīkī.

For this first introductory Surf Hui, Askildson invited beginner faculty, staff, and student surfers to take lessons and learn the ropes. The next Surf Hui will be meant for those comfortable enough with the sport to paddle out and control their boards.

Askildson said surfing is a physical, emotional, and spiritual escape for him, and he’s excited to be sharing it with his Chaminade ‘ohana.

“For me, this love of surfing is deeply tied to the connection to nature and being out in the ocean,” Askildson shared. “Being out in nature means it’s an opportunity to remind yourself that you are a part of creation, and it’s very humbling.”

“It actually makes me feel closer to God.”

Though already huge, surfing is gaining popularity globally.

The sport was featured as an official Olympic sport for the first time ever in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, then again in the 2024 Paris Olympics, with competition occurring in Tahiti. Surfers will compete for Olympic gold once again at the 2028 Los Angeles games.

There are a growing number of high school surfing clubs worldwide. Those students will soon have the opportunity to continue surfing and enjoying the sport at Chaminade as the campus community’s Surf Hui tradition is restored.

As global as it has become, surfing cannot be separated from its Hawaiian roots.

For centuries, riding coastal waves on crafted wooden boards was a way for Native Hawaiians to showcase their connections to the ocean. For many Hawaiians, surfing still holds deep spiritual meaning and significance.

It’s for those reasons and more that it’s important for surfing to once again find a home at Chaminade.

Several faculty members are excellent surfers, and Askildson goes out regularly with a few of them. There are frequent surfers among the staff and student body, as well. They will all now have more opportunities to surf together on weekends, weather permitting.

The new Surf Hui is not just a casual weekend excursion Askildson is hosting that others are invited to join. This revived tradition has earned official Chaminade University sanction. Askildson said he went through all the proper channels to secure the governing cabinet’s approval.

Participants have a few waivers to sign and rules to follow. Other than that, the most important rule for Surf Hui is to have fun and stay safe–the group goes out together and returns to the beach together.

This past weekend was for beginners and those still learning. The next Surf Hui, scheduled for September 27, won’t necessarily be for experts, but Askildson said it’s important that participants know the basics.

“You need to be able to surf independently and control your board for safety reasons,” he explained. “Anybody who even does the lessons needs to be able to swim; that’s kind of the de minimis thing.”

“Then once they feel like they have those essential surf skills, they can join the Surf Hui.”

Askildson said he’s planning to host four more Surf Hui’s this semester following this past weekend’s introductory lessons. After the September 27 event, there will be another Surf Hui organized sometime in late October.

Though he’s happy to help get the ball rolling, Askildson said his real hope is that the students take over the organizational work and keep this tradition alive. Either way, Surf Hui is back, bringing together Chaminade University leadership, administrators, staff, faculty, and students all together for a day of casual camaraderie, to share their love of surfing and the connections to nature and Hawai’i that come with this ancient tradition.

“This is about building community,” Askildson said. “This is about meeting other people who are enthusiastic about surfing, but also to just feel a connection to Hawai’i surf culture, which has really deep roots here, cultural roots.”

Student Surfboard as Art

Who says surfboards are meant only for surfing? They also double as works of art. That’s what Shania Lindsey Gervacio proved by winning the Maui Invitational Surfboard Design Contest this past November.

 A third year student majoring in Environmental + Interior Design, Gervacio initially based her design off of island tribal patterns and flora specific to Hawai’i. This concept later transitioned into the foundation icon of Chaminade Athletics that represents the Marianist approaches to education. 

“I also included hibiscuses as well as plumerias to refer to the pua commonly seen around the university campus,” she said. For the ‘silverswords’ in the center of the board, this was inspired by the fact that the previous surfboard designs mentioned ‘Chaminade’ or ‘Chaminade Silverswords,’ rather than only ‘Silverswords.’”

Gervacio’s professor, Dr. Junghwa Suh DArch, encouraged her to participate in the surfboard design competition during the 2025 spring semester. While designing, she also balanced working on a huge design project yet was able to brainstorm three different surfboard designs and fully execute one. 

The experience of designing a surfboard adds to the experience of her reaching the goal of becoming an interior designer after she graduates from Chaminade for hospitality spaces, such as restaurants, hotels, resorts and spas. 

She’s off to a great start. The Maui Invitational surfboards will eventually be displayed in the Silversword Cafe for all to enjoy and see. 

“I feel extremely excited that the surfboard will be displayed in the Silversword Cafe!” she said. “I feel that utilizing my design skills to create something tangible was an incredible accomplishment, and I hope for many Silverswords and Chaminade faculty to enjoy the design when they view it.”

Former Student-Athlete: Endurance Key to Success

As an avid runner, Peter Jan Ramos ’24 knows a little something about the importance of endurance, hard work and never giving up. During his four years at Chaminade, he was able to balance his academic coursework with long practices and meets on the cross country team.

In fact, he was named to the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievements Awards four times in recognition of his participation in intercollegiate sports and his high GPA. He was among a record 85 Chaminade student-athletes honored with the award in 2024-25.

“My cross country coach, Shadrack Nabea, made sure we were a student first then an athlete,” Ramos explained. “There were some days of the week where we would run on our own instead of meeting up with the team, which gave me more time to do my classwork and assignments. Managing my time helped me make sure all the things I had to do were on time.”

Ramos, from Waipahu, chose to attend Chaminade because of the scholarship opportunities he was afforded. He majored in Accounting with a minor in Psychology, and clinched a role in accounting right after graduation thanks to a connection from a Chaminade professor.

And his supervisor at his workplace, Ground Transport, Inc., is also a Silversword.

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He says he is grateful for the opportunity to apply his skills and continue to grow.

In addition to serving as an accountant, Ramos is assistant cross country and track coach at Campbell High School. As a mentor himself now, he’s working to model the Chaminade coaches and professors in his life who helped support him throughout his college years.

After all, he said, every day at Chaminade required focus and discipline. His days consisted of running on his own, commuting to campus, completing coursework, and practicing with his team.

He also had to make time for a full night’s rest, essential for an athlete in training.

And on the weekends, he would try to catch up on his work at school and at home.

“It was hard at first, but I found my own day to day routine to do and I eventually got used to it,” said Ramos, who graduated with a 3.82 GPA. He added that for him, the key to keeping his grades up as a student-athlete was good time management, dedication and smart study techniques.

Now in coaching, he shares those same lessons with the students he works with. “I want to give back to high school student-athletes who have found a passion in running,” Ramos said. “I was once like them and I want to help them in some way with what I’ve learned through my experiences.”

His advice to current student-athletes at Chaminade embodies his ethos of perseverance and sticking to it. “Find your own day to day routine and be disciplined with everything you do,” Ramos said. “Things can always come up in our lives so you always have to be ready to be adaptable.”

Newest Hall of Fame Inductees Honored

South Sudanese-Australian basketball player Kuany Kuany ’17, who competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and longtime Silversword athletics supporters Judith and William Garrett are the newest inductees in Chaminade’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

The three were honored at the University’s Silversword Gala on March 29.

Kuany, who played guard for Chaminade, is one of the most decorated players in school history. After leaving Chaminade, he played professionally in Australia and Europe and now serves as captain of the South Sudan National Team, which he took to the Olympic Games last year.

At the Paris Games, South Sudan nearly upset Team USA in a friendly game.

Under his leadership, the South Sudan National Team has also competed in the AfroBasket tournament and the FIBA World Cup, engendering a great sense of pride in the war-torn country.

At the Silversword Gala, Chaminade Director of Athletics Tom Buning said Kuany is not only inspirational, he is a team player who understands the value of hard work and collaboration. He noted that Kuany ranks among the school’s all-time leaders in scoring and rebounding.

“For those who observed him from campus, Kuany was known for his citizenship, academic prowess, and quiet ability to speak loudly through his actions,” Buning said, adding “Kuany has followed the Marianist tradition of building community in his professional life. He has used his Chaminade education and an MBA from Victory University to make a positive difference.”

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The Garretts, who share a lifelong passion for college basketball, have been enthusiastic supporters of Chaminade’s basketball team since 2011. Their commitment to the program extends beyond the court, including as annual attendees of the Maui Invitational.

They are also members of the Chaminade Fund Society, a group of the University’s strongest supporters of unrestricted giving.

William “Bill” Garrett, who has served on Chaminade’s Board of Governors since 2018, retired as city manager of the Southern California communities of Corona and El Cajon.

A U.S. Army veteran, Garrett received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, a master’s of science in urban planning from the University of Arizona and a master’s in public administration from California State University, Fullerton.

Judith “Judy” Garrett worked for more than 30 years as a grants administrator, city planner, business district manager, fundraiser, and government consultant.

She has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Washington and a master’s in city and regional planning from the University of Arizona.

In retirement, she has served on the boards of several nonprofit and live theatre organizations and, for almost five years, was the volunteer administrator of a western art museum in El Cajon.

Buning said the Garretts’ generous donations have made multiple capital projects possible.

“Together, they serve to make a difference for our student-athletes and benefit every program, every day,” he said. “With grateful hearts and a servant mindset, Bill and Judy are following the Marianist tradition of helping make … a positive difference in the lives of student-athletes.”

Got GRIT? These Student-Athletes Do

Chaminade student-athletes gathered recently to learn about the importance of GRIT.

That is, Gratitude, Respect, Integrity and Trust.

The Chaminade Athletics Department joined forces with Campus Ministry for the special program, aimed at spotlighting core values that will serve student-athletes “well into their futures,” said University Chaplain Fr. Martin Solma, S.M.

Some 170 participating student-athletes engaged in activities and heard from speakers about what it means to take what they have learned in sports to the campus community.

Sebastian Castro ‘25, a Criminology and Criminal Justice major who plays baseball at Chaminade, said his favorite part of the event was hearing from Silversword women’s soccer Head Coach Michelle Richardson about her own experiences as a student-athlete.

“I think for all of us student athletes, no matter the major, it gets overwhelming dealing with our studies and also the stress and anxiety of playing in our sports,” Castro said. “Being able to manage both of those and find a balance is a tough thing to do and shows GRIT.”

Emily Cooper ‘27 competes in women’s cross-country and is studying Environmental Interior Design. She said she walked away from the GRIT event with “new friendships and self-reflections that grew out of group discussions and prayers.”

Cooper added she found lots in common with her fellow student-athletes.

Getting to know strangers can be a great part of self-confidence because it helped me learn more about myself as a group listener and speaker,” she said. “My favorite part was listening to everyone’s goals and life journeys.Hearing the diverse backgrounds of everyone was inspiring and really made me realize the biggest steps in life come from accepting new opportunities.”

Dustyn Ragasa, Ph.D., who is director of the Master of Pastoral Theology program and an assistant professor of Religious Studies and Philosophy, spoke to students at the gatherings January 28 and February 5. His message to attendees: You’ve got GRIT, why not share it?

“Student-athletes are in an excellent position to be ‘women and men for others,’ a key characteristic of Catholic education,” Ragasa said. “I hope the students walk away with a greater sense of confidence in the best of themselves, a call to leaven our campus community with the gifts that they possess, but above all, some memories they make.”

He added events like the GRIT gatherings are important to helping students come together, reflect and have a little fun. “For busy student-athletes, it can be a challenge to set aside some time just to talk story or to share a meal,” he said. “GRIT reminds students about the faith dimension of their lives” and the importance of “building loving relationships.”

Celebrating Volleyball’s Undefeated Season

Cheers filled the Chaminade campus Monday as faculty, staff and students came out to celebrate the women’s volleyball team for making history in their first undefeated Pacific West Conference championship. The Silverswords are now preparing for the NCAA Tournament.

Coach Kahala Kabalis Hoke ’05, MS ’07 said at the gathering she’s “incredibly proud” of her team.

“They’ve worked so hard and just to be able to have a season with zero slip-ups, sustain that focus and energy, and just detail-oriented … a coach can’t ask for anything more,” Hoke said.

She added, “I am grateful and blessed for this group.”

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Scores came out to cheer on the team—and share some gelato and ice cream bars with them.

The Pacific West Conference champions are 27-4 overall and 20-0 in the conference.

Also on Monday, the Silverswords learned they’ll Stanislaus State University as their opening round opponent in the NCAA Division II West Regional, which will be held in California from Dec. 5 to 7.

The region winner will advance to the NCAA Division II Championships in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

This will be the seventh appearance for the Silverswords in the tournament—and they’re ready.

“We feel really excited to continue to do greater things,” said team member Mahala Ka’apuni ’25. “We’ve worked really hard, come a really long way. This undefeated season, we’re feeling really grateful.”

Added team member Heavenly Campbell ’25: “Thank you to everyone who helped us get there.”

She added the team is continuing to fine tune “so we can come out as strong as we can.”

Get the latest on the Silversword Athletics at goswords.com.