Since taking up the sport of outrigger canoe paddling at 10 years old, Traci Phillips has come to realize that “there’s no better view than in a canoe.”

The “50-something-year-old” has spent more than four decades in and around the water as an elite paddler, kayaker and coach, and is grateful for the continued opportunity to enjoy the aquatic playground that has taken her around the world for various competitions.

“It’s just a part of me,” Phillips said of her extensive watersports career. “Knowing that my teammates are counting on me has provided motivation to train, stay in shape and be healthy — both physically and mentally. Everything associated with my competitive spirit keeps me in shape because when I get in the boat with five other girls, I’m not letting them down.”

Phillips is used to high-level competition on the water as the Outrigger Canoe Club paddler also competed in multiple kayaking events in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. The veteran competitor has recently taken on an enhanced leadership role in tune with guidance from coach Johnny Puakea, and she has embraced the position as a paddler-coach and mentor to the talented young Outrigger crew, which has held its own amongst the sport’s elite.

Phillips helped Outrigger secure the runner-up finish at the Hawaiian Airlines Na Wahine o ke Kai last fall, and did so 38 years after being a part of the winning crew in the inaugural Molokai-to-Oahu women’s race. The crew finished nearly six minutes behind race winner Team Bradley, which has won the prestigious race nine of the last 11 times, including six straight crowns from 2005 to 2010.

“We were just stoked to be in the hunt for the first four-or-so hours. Everyone, including our novice paddlers, stepped up and did really well,” Phillips said when recalling the grueling 41-mile race. “We never expected to win, but were lucky to have a shot. You want to promote these young girls because they are the future, and our very young crew has a lot of potential. Hopefully, this gives them hope, and I’m very proud.”

Phillips has also developed an insightful approach to looking at age; instead of “checking the box” on her current age range, she chooses to identify instead with the years she has lived.

“I don’t want to mark that 50-to-55 box yet, because I really haven’t lived that yet. All those previous age ranges, I still feel those in me,” Phillips said. “Every day, I remember and feel something from my younger days, and I don’t want to be judged simply by age. I want to be judged by what I’m doing and what I’ve done.”

After some contemplation, Phillips has enjoyed the time spent reflecting on the immense impact her time in the water has had on her life as a whole.

“Paddling and surfing are probably what elevated me to make the Olympic kayaking team, because I learned right away how to make a vessel go forward in the water and to do it faster,” Phillips said. “It also helped to be surrounded by so many great athletes at Outrigger that pushed me to be better. I was able to travel the world, so I’ve been very fortunate.

“I want to take my knowledge from those world-class competitions and share that with the next generation of paddlers and competitors.”

While Phillips first developed a passion for paddling in her preteen years, she explains that finding the sport later in life can be just as beneficial and, on multiple levels, impactful.

“I was out on the water recently, and the water was so clear … it makes you realize that you’re doing something so beneficial for your body,” Phillips said. “I was by myself practicing my technique, and I stopped and realized, ‘I’m so lucky.’ Paddling allows you to build that camaraderie with friends. Whether you’re trying to win Molokai or just enjoy a workout, it’s an amazing experience.”