Humble Beginnings. Enduring Legacy.

Like many canoe clubs, Team Arizona began with humble roots — a small group of paddlers brought together by vision, culture, and a love for the canoe.

But our story begins long before Arizona.

The Vision That Brought the Ocean to the Desert

Team Arizona was founded on the vision of one man — Coach Allen Abad.

In the mid-1960s, Coach Allen began paddling with Leeward Kai Canoe Club in Hawaiʻi, where the canoe was more than a sport. It was family. Every member paddled, worked, and served together — building strength not only in the water, but in community.

In 1968, Allen left Hawaiʻi to serve in the United States Navy. After four years of service, he settled in San Diego, reconnecting with fellow islanders who longed for the rhythm of paddles in the water. In 1976, he helped establish San Diego’s first outrigger canoe club — creating a place for culture and connection far from home.

A few years later, Allen carried that same spirit inland.

In 2004, he founded Team Arizona Outrigger Canoe Club — planting the traditions of the Pacific firmly in desert soil. What began as a small group of committed paddlers grew into a year-round club rooted in teamwork, discipline, humility, and ʻohana.

In 2009, after a courageous two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, Coach Allen passed away.

His legacy did not.

Today, Team Arizona paddles in his loving memory. Whether on desert lakes or open ocean race courses, we strive to honor his teachings — in how we train, how we serve, and how we support one another in and out of the canoe.

Desert roots. Ocean spirit.
His vision lives in every stroke.