Guam Kyak and Canoe Federation seeks mayoral partners for middle-school paddling program

Melanie Escobar, president of the Guam Kyak and Canoe Federation, asked the Mayor’s Council to partner with her federation to launch a middle-school youth outrigger paddling program that she said would reconnect students with Chamorro culture, improve fitness and build leadership.

Escobar said the federation currently comprises four clubs and that some clubs have only a handful of teams since COVID and recent typhoons reduced participation. She said the youth program would target students ages 11 to 14 and recommended placing a six-person galaide (small youth outrigger) in each participating village, along with about a dozen paddles and life vests to start.

“ I am the president of the Guam, Kyak and Canoe Federation,” Escobar told the council as she described an outreach plan that includes weekend introductory sessions, after-school practices when school resumes, quarterly friendly regattas among villages and cultural lessons led by elders and master canoe builders.

Escobar said several villages have moved boats to Matapang after security and lighting problems at previous storage sites and that she hopes mayors will host equipment bases closer to southern villages so young paddlers there can attend without long drives. She asked mayors to consider beaches and piers with safe, calm water such as Cocos Lagoon, Molassa Pier, Umatac Bay and Talofofo Bay.

The federation is preparing quotes to acquire new six-person youth canoes and requested mayoral support for storage, security and access. Escobar also noted Guam will host a regional event, the Micro Cup, next year and said early investment in youth development will strengthen local representation and help make the island a ready host.

Next steps: Escobar said she will email contact information and program details to mayors who expressed interest and will follow up on equipment quotes and potential village pilot sites.