Hilo senior Sanoe Kaniho-Reyes started paddling as a 10-year-old under the guidance of Kailana Canoe Club coach Aunty Maile Mauhili, who remembers her fondly because her dad, Tommy Young, paddled, too. ADVERTISING Hilo senior Sanoe Kaniho-Reyes started paddling as a
Hilo senior Sanoe Kaniho-Reyes started paddling as a 10-year-old under the guidance of Kailana Canoe Club coach Aunty Maile Mauhili, who remembers her fondly because her dad, Tommy Young, paddled, too.
After one year at Kailana in the Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association, Kaniho-Reyes paddled three summers for the Keaukaha Canoe Club.
Then she dropped out of paddling for good reason. She’s been with Johnny Lum Ho’s Halau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua since she was 6 years old. Kaniho-Reyes had the same destination dream as most hula dancers: Merrie Monarch Festival.
In April, she was part of Lum Ho’s wahine group that won the kahiko, auana and the overall titles at Merrie Monarch, making a successful return in the first year back since 2013 and also a memorable debut for Kaniho-Reyes.
Her aunty Kasie Kaleohano, an instructor at Lum Ho’s halau, was Kaniho-Reyes’ first kumu, teaching all the technical things that sound like a game plan for paddling.
“You have to come to practice and make sure you know the movements and make no mistakes,” said Kaniho-Reyes, who added that Aunty Kasie was speechless. “She couldn’t talk to me. But later she told me, ‘Good job,’ and that my hard work paid off and I deserved it, and it’s all about being as one.”
Canoe paddling is much the same way, with six in sync with each other as one.
Kaniho-Reyes played junior varsity volleyball for the Vikings as a freshman and sophomore. In her senior season, she decided to return to canoe paddling. Her dad paddled for Aunty Maile as a Viking and member of Wailani, since changed to Kailana.
The vacant junior year was spent training. It was a 1 1/2-year regimen of refining her movements and making the cut of 35 wahine dancers, which would later get trimmed to 25 on stage night.
“I was actually nervous and stoked that I made the line,” Kaniho-Reyes said. “We won, and it’s unbelievable. I still can’t believe that we won first place with my halau.
“I’m making new friends in paddling. The good thing I like about paddling is we’re one big family, too.”
Aunty Maile is no longer the Vikings coach. Her daughter Aloha runs the show. But Aunty Maile is always around and doesn’t forget a thing, especially her young paddlers even when they get older and blossom.
“Aloha said to me, ‘Mom you remember this girl, Sanoe?’ I told her I do,” Aunty Maile said. “Tommy’s dad, Buddy Young, was a well-known coach in Honolulu. She comes from a paddling family. I’m glad when they come back.”
