LIHU‘E — Strategies for Life founder David Bown and Pu‘u Wai Canoe Club coach Brian Curll pool their shared vision for Kaua‘i teenagers by launching the first ever Kaua‘i Youth Conference, “Kaua‘i Life Sports Challenge” Saturday at Kaua‘i Marriott Hotel.
LIHU‘E — Strategies for Life founder David Bown and Pu‘u Wai Canoe Club coach Brian Curll pool their shared vision for Kaua‘i teenagers by launching the first ever Kaua‘i Youth Conference, “Kaua‘i Life Sports Challenge” Saturday at Kaua‘i Marriott Hotel.
The event promises a full day of inspirational speakers and water activities on Kalapaki Bay. Lunch will be served at Duke’s Canoe Club. The tentative schedule is from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Boun described the day as one for body, mind and spirit.
“We want to help teens discover what their gifts and talents are,” he said. “We are creating adventures for them and ways to challenge themselves. That’s why we have all these different sports for them to try.”
From 7:30 a.m. to noon the program includes presentations with local families and speakers. In an interview format, Boun will create a dialogue with a number of familiar faces, among them, film commissioner, Art Umezu; Coach Bobby Berrero of Kaua‘i High School; junior drag racers, the Barros family; Christina Farina, Virtual Business mentor at Kapa‘a High School and the Waimea volleyball team.
The afternoon will be spent on Kalapaki beach with coaches in swimming, stand-up surfing, paddling, jet skis, volleyball and more.
Boun said the morning will be ripe with information on family issues, team building, conflict resolution and mentoring.
“It’s a lot of information,” admitted Curll. “But these are seeds we are planting for the future. We are trying to create small influences over time.
“Teens need to hear from people who have done and are doing, that’s why we involve kids in each presentation. They don’t want to listen to us but they listen to each other. Only their peers can reach them.”
Boun launched Strategies for Life after a string of teen suicides in fall of 2008. Brian Curll has been active in coaching teens for 14 years and is also the coordinator of TriKaua‘i, the quarterly triathlons that began on the island last year.
Both men are committed to offering practical life skills for teens.
“This is about actively learning through participation,” Curll said.
Young people between the ages of 14 and 22 are invited, but an age limit is not being strictly enforced, Curll said.
The 17 speakers scheduled will discuss ways in which young people can deal with a emotions, finances, good nutrition, self motivation and success in sports and business.
At lunch the speakers will be available at individual tables to discuss more on their topics. In the afternoon the groups will head to the beach where attendees will be broken into groups of 10 to 15 and assigned a sports station, rotating every 30 minutes.
“My underlying motivation is to reduce the number of teenage suicides we have on Kaua‘i,” Curll said. “We have the highest rate of death in this age group in the state and have had for the last eight years.”
The full day including lunch is $20. To register call 635-6311 or visit puuwaioutriggercanoeclub.org/KauaiYouthConference.
