In a further step toward establishing surfing as a competitive sport in the public schools, officials have created a $340 course that's available to train prospective coaches.

The move was required as part of Board of Education rules toward making the sport available at the high school level.

The Department of Education has scrapped original plans to have courses taught at community colleges, and is instead working with Kama'aina Kids to offer the first two courses in Kailua on O'ahu and in Lahaina on Maui.

Only when clubs have trained coaches can the students legally take to the water under the auspices of their school surf club.

Fliers will be distributed shortly for would-be coaches to sign up for the April course on O'ahu and the May course on Maui.

The first is scheduled from April 4-7 and the second from May 26-28.

"This ensures your coaches are well trained," assistant superintendent Kathy Kawaguchi told board members.

Once schools have coaches, there is still a lengthy process to see the sport become a competitive league sport, Kawaguchi said.

"For any league activity, there is a process," she said. "The canoe clubs started as an activity and then applied (for league standing)."

Last year, concerns were raised that the course for prospective coaches would be so expensive it could keep many eager young teachers from participating.

Nonetheless, the cost has been set at $340 per participant for the 24-hour ocean safety classes.

John Clark, retired deputy chief of the Honolulu Fire Department, and Pat Durkin, who owns Aquatic Safety Management, are the two instructors.

"There are two of us to kick-start the program, and if we need to bring on more staff, Jim Howe will back us up," Clark told the committee. Howe is chief of operations for the city's Ocean Safety & Lifeguard Division.

Those who complete the course will receive a certification valid for two years.

During an update on the progress of the sport, a top Department of Education official yesterday acknowledged that there are many more steps to go, and snags to finding a venue for the course over the last year had been one thing that slowed the process.

Even though the Board of Education approved surfing as a school sport back in May 2004, and asked the DOE to develop guidelines, there's been a bumpy road as the department explored how to make it happen while addressing concerns regarding safety and liability.

Two years ago, the department sent out regulations and guidelines for the sport covering everything from coach training to required student skills. The course to train coaches is the next step forward.

But board member Mary Cochran told department officials that the long process of establishing surfing clubs as competitive — and all the regulations in between — has been very discouraging to many.

"All they want to do is be recognized for competitive sports," Cochran said.

So far only two schools -—Campbell and Castle High — have established clubs and both are totally land-based.

"From October of 2005 until now, we've been working at putting together a course (to train coaches) and then finding a venue," Kawaguchi said.

"There have been some barriers in working out where the courses (will be taught.)"

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.