Sports in Yap

By now you may be asking yourself: "Self, how is it that folks in Yap stay healthy, what with all that Spam and canned mackerel?"  That's a good question, and there is no doubt that the introduction of Western (read "unhealthy") foods has had a negative effect on public health here.  Combine the often-oppressive heat with a bad diet, and the result is that the population of the FSM, like much of the Pacific, suffers from alarming rates of obesity and type II diabetes. 

 

Yap devotes substantial governmental resources to combating these problems; the island's surprising number of organized sports leagues provides locals with opportunities to compete and stay in shape.  Aside from aquatic activities, volleyball and basketball rule.  And, just as in the U.S., allegiances to certain superior collegiate basketball programs are instilled at an early age. 

 

 

While dragging himself back into basketball shape, Matt has rediscovered the unhappy fact that he jumps like an old white guy.  This is nothing new.  Matt has jumped like an old white guy since he was 12.  Here's hoping that athletic genes run in KC's family!

 

 

On land, fast-pitch softball takes a close third in popularity.  We haven't played, but have gone out to a few games to snap some pictures.

 

 

Wrestling and weightlifting are also popular, and this weekend we watched some of the action at a Greco-Roman wrestling clinic hosted by the sports council.

 

 

For us the real fun is in the water.  We joined the Colonia Canoe Club a few months ago, and head out on outrigger paddle canoes a couple of times a week, for fun and in preparation for the canoe races to be held at the first annual Yap Canoe Festival, scheduled for October of this year.  The paddling canoe races are set for distances of 500 meters, 1500 meters, and (gasp) 7 miles.  The canoes are surprisingly quick, but we're guessing that the 7-mile race will still take a little over an hour to complete.

 

 

Spending time underwater, of course, is even better than canoeing and kayaking.  Yap is famous for its resident population of manta rays, but it also has fabulous coral reefs.  The water is so clear that we didn't feel like diving would add all that much to the experience at first, but Matt has been talked into getting certified and plans to begin classes this week.  He's looking forward to seeing things like this from the bottom of the pool, rather than the surface.