Welcome to KAI~Sports'

History page describing the background of

KAI~California-Hawai'i (Cal-HI) All-America Teams™

     When KAI was founded in 2001, the original focus was on Ocean Sports Racing events with their wide variety of venues and competitors. Mr. Kelly Kemp, the original and continuing KAI~Sports Coordinator, wanted to highlight and publicize the great efforts by high school age (~14-to-18 years old) ocean-going athletes achieving an early pinnacle of success -- in order to promote life-long physical fitness and a zeal to excel in water sports. A great combination of friends and family (an extended family, as well!) has grown in and around ocean competition.

The original sports selected to showcase included:

2000 Ocean Swimming

2001 Bodysurfing

2002 Paddleboard Racing

     These were chosen due to Kelly's long history with a variety of events, most notably the International Surf Festival (ISF), held annually in Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo and Torrance Beaches. The ISF includes the ocean events above, plus surfing, volleyball, beach runs, and Junior and Senior Lifeguard competitions, to name a few. But Kelly was keying initially on Ocean Swimming, as he has competed off and on his entire life, both on the West Coast and in Hawai'i, where he swam the Waikiki Roughwater and the Honolulu Biathlon. In California, he swam most of the circuit, competing in swims at Hotel del Coronado (1-mile), Huntington Beach (Pier), Seal Beach (3-mile) and Santa Barbara's Semana Nautica (1-mile). Kelly's biggest year was 1969, when he finished with two 3rds, a 2nd and two 1sts in the Boys 17-18 or 18 & under categories. The bronzes included the famous La Jolla triangle course and the discontinued Venice to Santa Monica Pier 1-mile swims. The silver was for the ISF 2-mile, also known at the Pier-toPier, where he finished 5th overall. The golds were each 2nd overall, but first in age group, in swims that are currently discontinued -- the Oceanside Pier swim and the Will Rogers 1-mile. The latter victory earned Kelly the title of West Coast Open Roughwater Swimming Champion.

     Data collection started, naturally, with the advent of his kids, in-laws nieces and nephews entering and competing in these ocean-born aquatic endeavors, as well as the highly successful Long Beach, Huntington Beach and Los Angeles County (LACO) Junior Lifeguard programs.

     At about that point, KAI POLO was formed, and the organization became a fully accredited and affiliated United States Water Polo Age Group Club, focusing on local area athlete development with a climb up the ladder to USA Water Polo Junior Nationals, where the girls' club finished 11th in the nation, 20 & Under, at the Junior US Open. Along the way, USA Water Polo's newest zone, Coastal California, came into being, and that took additional time as well.

     As KAI POLO players went on to college, the club ramped down. Many suggested that KAI also continue their established traditions -- and expand awards to include CAL-HI Girls High School Water Polo, as the Boys programs already had a program in existence to accomplish that task. So KAI~Sports agreed, so that effort started,

along with evolving sports as follows:

2007 Girls Water Polo

2008 Outrigger Racing (Canoe Paddling) started, but discontinued due to lack of support

2009 Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) started, but discontinued due to lack of support

     The KAI~Sports website was re-energized in the 2006-2007 school year, but was dormant in 2009-2010 due, unfortunately, to "Kelly's lack of positive mental attitude (PMA)" following the passing of Kelly's mom, Margaret Kemp, a South Bay aquatics enthusiast and Long Beach Wilson High School Hall of Fame Swim Coach and Physical Educator. (Side note: One of Margaret's most famous quotes was, "PMA...all the way." Now we're back on track. God has truly blessed us with great family and friends, and at the forefront has been the Kemps, Mathews, Parkers and Wests in our inner circle, with many other folks as our outer circle...thanks to you all for your support!

Special Note: KAI~Sports coordinators assimilate most of our data by "pulling" it out of sources such as those sponsored by cities and municipalities -- so if the data is entered incorrectly from the start, then we are genuinely sorry, and will fix it immediately should you notice. Just send an email request to kaipolo@gmail.com with the recommended fix. Please note that this applies to name spellings, class years, schools, towns, etc. Additionally, KAI~Sports is most appreciative of those "pushing" information from their events, which greatly contribute to the overall order of merit.

By now, interested aquatic enthusiasts have done a "deep dive" into the years and events we have been able to access data to support; sometimes there is a lack of data for specific events for certain years. Should you discover that you finished as a top ocean competitor for a previous year and would like consideration for a KAI~Sports award, you may send us an email with your name and either a PDF of official results or a link to the events' results page.

Although Lists are Copyrighted, individuals are permitted to print copies for your own use via this limited use license -- just keep in mind that "KAI~Cal-HI All-America™" is intellectual property owned and Trademarked by KAI~Sports. ©2000-2011 KAI~Sports www.kaisports.org