Joined OCC: June 6, 1973
Elected to Winged “O”: February 24, 2003
Kristin Stevens “Kisi” Haine is the third Winged “O” from the family of Tommy and Marilyn Haine. When she learned that the Winged “O” members had voted favorably upon her candidacy, she was equally grateful for the honor as well as proud to be a Winged “O” like her father and brother.
Kisi’s beloved “Daddy” was inducted in 1968 and brother Marc in 2001. As Marc pointed out during her induction speech, Kisi “is a superb person first and athlete second. Kisi always takes time to teach both young and old the insights needed to perform an activity. She is often seen surfing with little kids on weekends or summer mornings. Later that day, she is coaching one of her two masters women’s crews. It’s amazing how her Eveready batteries stay so charged. Once done teaching others, it’s her turn to surf, play volleyball, or paddle.”
Ocean sports were a natural for Kisi who started as a child surfing with her family at age eight and racing canoes by age 11. While attending Punahou School, she became a very competitive swimmer, volleyball player, and even softball player, winning numerous awards and state championships.
She excelled in academics at Punahou, and as a result, received a volleyball scholarship to attend Stanford University. She quickly adapted to a California lifestyle, playing Division 1 volleyball, and graduating in four years. She then coached and went on to get her masters degree at the University of Utah.
When she finally returned home to Hawaii in the early 1980s, Kisi once again pursued her love of surfing, canoe racing, and playing volleyball while working for Hawaii Special Olympics, where she developed a passion for teaching and motivating others.
She was a member of the Outrigger crew that dominated women’s canoe racing in the mid-1980s, culminating in Na Wahine O Ke Kai championships in 1984 and 1985. Her last victory in the prestigious 41-mile race from Molokai to Oahu was in 1992, and she’s still at it, a strong, determined presence and leader among the upper division women’s crews.
In between, she has won numerous first place honors in the Macfarlane, Oahu, State, Dad Center, Queen Liliuokalani, and Catalina championships of canoe racing.
She is considered one of the most gifted open ocean steersmen for her sheer strength and uncommon endurance as she paddles from six seat, while keeping her crew on the shortest and fastest line possible through her ability to read the ocean.
“Open steersman” are used during the Macfarlane Regatta as it is traditionally the only wave race during the regatta season. Naturally, most crews use a male steersman for all their women’s events, but Outrigger has Kisi, and whenever the regatta announcers point her out, the proud cheers raise the roof on the Outrigger tent.
Like the rest of her family, Kisi has adopted the Outrigger Canoe Club as her home away from home. Like Daddy, she participated on behalf of the Club, and through the years, her personal athletic accomplishments have brought distinction and honor to the Club. Like Daddy, she gave back to the Club through years of coaching canoe racing crews, teaching surf clinics to keiki and makule alike, organizing Club surfing contests, and conducting canoe steering clinics on the weekends.
Kisi has also devoted much time as a volleyball coach to girls teams at the Club. And you often find her on the Daddy Haine courts on summer afternoons.
She continued her service to the Club in her capacity as assistant Club Captain from 2003 to 2008.
Another distinguished Winged “O” for the Club, and wouldn’t Daddy be proud of his little girl.