Our story

The Vision: A Home Path for Hawaiʻi’s Aquatic Athletes

Hawaiʻi doesn’t have a talent problem.

It has an access problem.

Across our state, thousands of youth possess the raw potential of elite athletes—fast, focused, and fearless. Yet, for many, the journey ends too soon. Not for lack of grit, but because the cost of opportunity simply outruns them.

The Vanishing Athlete

Our founders, Cole & Kacey, saw this reality unfold firsthand. Competing on the mainland, the contrast was jarring. They moved through modern aquatic centers designed to develop champions, but they noticed a heartbreaking trend: the peers they had grown up with in Hawaiʻi—athletes with undeniable talent—were disappearing from the scene.

They weren't being out-competed; they were being out-price. The "island tax" of mandatory air travel and lodging for every major competition, combined with rising club dues, has turned aquatic sports into a luxury. When the only path to the next level requires a flight, many of our best athletes are forced to walk away.

Breaking the Ceiling at VMAC

The K. Mark Takai Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center (VMAC) was envisioned by legendary Coach Ken Suenaga to be the solution. However, decades of heavy use and deferred investment have created a critical gap.

Today, VMAC can host local events, but its aging infrastructure cannot support the regional and national competitions that open doors to the next level. Without a championship-caliber facility at home, our athletes remain invisible to the broader sporting world unless they have the means to travel.

The VMAC Renewal Foundation exists to close this gap. We are revitalizing VMAC into a world-class hub for swimming, water polo, and diving, ensuring that "the next level" starts right here in our islands.

Our Commitment to Equity

We aren't just fixing a pool; we are building a statewide engine for opportunity by:

  • Restoring Championship Standards: Upgrading infrastructure so Hawaiʻi can host the high-profile meets that provide athletes with national exposure.

  • Removing Financial Barriers: Funding scholarships, providing gear, and subsidizing travel costs so talent, not a zip code, determines a child's future.

  • Investing in the Community: A modernized VMAC brings regional events to our islands—supporting local businesses and showcasing Hawaiʻi as a leader in youth sports.

This isn’t about creating a few champions. It’s about opening the door for everyone. Our athletes have the potential and drive—they just need a world-class VMAC to unleash it.

Strategic Initiatives

The VMAC Renewal Foundation operates through a strategic Public-Private Partnership to revitalize the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center into a championship-caliber venue. By bridging the gap between public infrastructure and private investment, we are executing a five-phase capital strategy. Each initiative is designed to restore technical standards and unlock the facility’s full potential, funded through a targeted combination of donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Phase 1: Competition Readiness Upgrades

Modernizing the Core of Aquatic Excellence

  • Scope: Complete replacement of the facility’s 23-year-old movable fiberglass bulkhead and the installation of high-performance starting blocks with adjustable track-start wedges.

  • Purpose: To ensure VMAC meets national championship standards and eliminate the high-stakes risk of a catastrophic equipment failure.

The Critical Need: The bulkhead is the mechanical heart of our aquatic programming, allowing the pool to be configured for water polo, diving, and long and short-course swimming. However, the current bulkhead has now far exceeded its industry-standard 20-year design life. Operating beyond its engineered lifecycle makes the bulkhead a "single point of failure." A mechanical or structural break could present a safety hazard and render the pool unusable, creating an immediate crisis for Hawaiʻi’s aquatic community. By replacing this aging infrastructure now, we transition from reactive repairs to a proactive, world-class standard.

Closing the Technology Gap: Our athletes deserve to train on the same equipment they will face at mainland championships. Upgrading our starting blocks and bulkhead to modern standards ensures that when our swimmers and water polo players step onto the national stage, they aren't just competitive—they are prepared.

Phase 2: Site Hardening

Protecting the Competitive Environment

  • Scope: Grading the pool perimeter to install professional hardscaping—including concrete and high-durability artificial turf—to create dedicated team staging areas. This phase also includes the installation of physical barriers and wayfinding signage to protect remaining green spaces.

  • Purpose: To eliminate the tracking of red dirt into the pool, onto the bulkhead, and throughout the locker rooms. This intervention preserves water clarity, protects mechanical systems from abrasive silt, and ensures the longevity of the facility’s surfaces.

The "Track-In" Challenge: Red dirt is more than an aesthetic nuisance; it is a structural and chemical threat. When athletes and spectators cross exposed soil, abrasive silt is carried directly onto the pool deck and into the water. This grit accelerates the wear and tear on our $500,000 bulkhead and forces filtration systems to work overtime.

Creating a Professional Staging Ground: By replacing dirt and worn grass with concrete and turf, we are creating "clean-deck" staging areas for teams. This mirrors the standard of mainland competition centers, providing our athletes with a professional, mud-free environment where they can focus on their performance rather than the elements. This phase transforms the perimeter from a maintenance liability into a functional asset that keeps the entire facility—from the locker rooms to the pool itself—pristine and competition-ready.

Phase 3: Spectator Experience & ADA Accessibility

Fulfilling the Championship Vision

  • Scope: Replacement of existing uncovered bleachers with a high-capacity, ADA-compliant grandstand featuring a permanent overhead canopy for sun and rain protection.

  • Purpose: To expand VMAC’s seating capacity to meet regional and national championship standards, while ensuring that fans of all ages and abilities can enjoy aquatic sports in a safe, comfortable environment.

Correcting a Legacy Constraint: The original master plan for VMAC envisioned comprehensive seating on both sides of the competition pool. However, budget limitations at the time of construction resulted in a compromise: a single row of recycled bleachers. Because the facility lacked dedicated staging areas, these limited seats were often occupied by athletes, leaving spectators to find space wherever possible.

A Modern Grandstand for All: Following the completion of Phase 2a—which provides athletes with dedicated, hardscaped staging along the perimeter—Phase 2b focuses on the family experience. The new grandstand will not only increase the "house" capacity for water polo, diving, and swim meets but will also provide:

  • Climate Protection: A structural cover designed to shield spectators from the intense Central Oʻahu afternoon sun and sudden rain.

  • Universal Access: Full ADA compliance, ensuring that our kūpuna and fans with mobility needs have a "front-row seat" to the action.

  • Championship Scalability: Providing the professional infrastructure required to bid for and host the high-profile regional events that bring economic growth to our community.

Phase 4: Digital Scoreboard Modernization

Elevating the Competitive Atmosphere

  • Scope: Installation of a high-definition, full-color LED scoreboard capable of real-time data streaming, video playback, and multi-sport functionality.

  • Purpose: To replace the current limited display with a modern multimedia platform that improves athlete performance, enhances the spectator experience, and provides new avenues for foundation sponsorship.

Beyond Basic Numbers: The current scoreboard at VMAC is restricted to basic numeric data: lane, place, time, and heat. While functional, it lacks the technical depth required for modern competition. By upgrading to a full-matrix LED system, we can provide a much richer experience that includes athlete names, team affiliations, seed times, and live split-time tracking.

Reducing Athlete Anxiety: For young competitors, a modern scoreboard is more than just a clock—it is a tool for focus. Seeing their name paired with their assigned lane on a large, clear display significantly reduces the stress and anxiety of "reporting to the block." It provides immediate, visible confirmation of their place in the meet, allowing them to focus entirely on their race rather than logistics.

A Platform for the Future: This upgrade transforms the pool deck into a professional arena. The board’s capability to show video replays, event details, and sponsor recognition not only excites the crowd but also creates a sustainable revenue stream for the foundation. By showcasing our local partners and donors on a world-class digital stage, we ensure that VMAC remains a vibrant, self-sustaining hub for Hawaiʻi’s aquatic community.

Photos: Noah Schonhardt

Phase 5: Restroom and Locker Room Modernization

Expanding Capacity and Privacy Standards

  • Scope: Comprehensive renovation of both sets of restrooms and locker rooms, featuring high-durability epoxy surfaces, grout-free wall panels, and optimized partition layouts.

  • Purpose: To provide the capacity required for regional and national events, ensuring ample dedicated locker room space and allowing for the designation of separate athlete and spectator restrooms.

Meeting the Demands of Success: As VMAC hosts larger regional and national competitions, the demand on the facility’s footprint increases significantly. During these high-capacity events, limited locker room space can lead to athletes utilizing public restrooms for changing—a challenge that arises simply from the sheer number of competitors. By renovating and fully utilizing both sets of facilities, we can provide athletes with ample, dedicated locker room space. This modernization allows the facility to go above and beyond SafeSport standards by designating entirely separate restrooms for athletes and spectators, ensuring a secure and professional environment for everyone.

Resilience and Maintenance Efficiency: To support the long-term maintenance of the facility, we are applying lessons from the most successful recent renovations across Hawaiʻi. Central Oʻahu’s red dirt is a constant factor in facility upkeep; by replacing traditional tile and porous concrete with industrial-grade epoxy and minimizing grout lines, we create surfaces that are far more resistant to staining and wear. This transition to low-maintenance materials supports the park’s operational teams and ensures the restrooms and locker rooms remain in pristine condition even under the heavy use of a multi-day championship meet.

A Premier Venue Standard: A world-class aquatic center is defined by the quality of its support spaces. Whether it is a water polo team preparing for a match or a diver between rounds, every athlete deserves a private, dedicated area to prepare for competition. By revitalizing these essential spaces, the VMAC Renewal Foundation is ensuring that our public facility can comfortably and safely host the largest aquatic events in the Pacific, providing a professional home-field advantage for all of Hawaiʻi’s athletes.