The Ironman World Championship returns to Kona, Hawaiʻi, for the first time in three years on October 6, but as far as our Lower School ʻohana is concerned — the real event already took place this past weekend: HPA’s Keiki Triathlon.
Sure, the crowds are much smaller — but no less enthusiastic. And yes, the distance the athletes have to cover is considerably shorter — but the determination they exhibit is on par.
Arguably, the biggest difference is the hands-on race support — a parent pushing their child down the bike path or a sibling offering a shoulder to lean on in the final stretch of track — all are welcomed and encouraged. The result is an amazing, collective effort of families, grade levels, and an entire division coming together to figuratively — and literally!— help each athlete cross the finish line.
Coach Betsy Tranquilli, or Coach “T” as she’s known on the Village Campus, is quick to correct anyone who might refer to the Keiki Triathlon as a competition.
“It’s about participation and the celebration of movement. We don’t give out first, second, or third-place awards. All students, whether they do all three events or otherwise, get a medal at the end for participating,” Tranquilli explained.
It’s a decision she’s quick to defend knowing there are strong feelings about the “everyone gets a medal” approach in youth sports or activities. Tranquilli points to the fact that every adult Ironman athlete will get a medal for participating, so why should the Keiki Triathlon be any different?
“Taking part in a triathlon is hard work! It is a lot of training and a huge personal accomplishment to finish. That is what the medal acknowledges. Every child has put in a lot of work, and many overcome some strong fears to participate. That deserves a celebration!”
Equally deserving of accolades are the medals themselves. In the spirit of sustainability and collaboration, Tranquilli partnered with Lower School art teacher Alexa Hustace ’94 to have every K-5 student design and create a medal for this year’s event. When they crossed the finish line, each participant received a medal handmade by another Lower School student.
“I feel it really ties to the heart of this event, which is community, and support for each other’s goals and hard work,” Tranquilli said, adding that the personalized medals turned out to be a fan favorite and sparked camaraderie between students across grade levels. “It was really wonderful to see a kindergartener excited about the medal made by a 4th grader. It’s all the students were talking about afterward.”
HPA’s Keiki Triathlon was started more than 20 years ago by former Village Campus P.E. teacher Mickey Kerr. Tranquilli says she’s proud to carry on the tradition.
“It teaches our students about courage and trying hard things and the importance of supporting each other and lifting each other up,” said Tranquilli.
Lower School students — kindergarten through 5th grade — spend all of September training for the event, which perfectly captures HPA’s Core Value of the Pursuit of Excellence.
“The purpose of this whole thing is to push these kids to try their hardest and keep going,” Tranquilli explained. “We might surprise ourselves by finding things aren’t as hard as they seem, especially when we practice.”
And who knows? Maybe there will be an HPA alum crossing the Ironman finish line one day, and when asked when their journey started, they’ll be able to proudly say: Keiki Triathlon!