Ben Beck has been quietly pushing himself.

The Pac-Five junior kayaker who attends Saint Louis has been a steady performer in Interscholastic League of Honolulu races this season, with nothing lower than a fourth place. But by next year, coaches see him in the front.

Pac-Five teammate Ryan Dolan is undefeated in ILH races this season. The league championships are Saturday at Ke'ehi Lagoon.

"You think of him as low key and laid back, but he's really great at pushing himself," Pac-Five coach Butch Ukishima said.

"His brother was a junior when he was a freshman and he started beating his brother."

Before turning out for kayaking as a freshman, Beck was canoe paddling for Outrigger Canoe Club and surfing. That experience in the water has carried over to kayaking, as has his demeanor.

"He's a pretty relaxed person and kind of goes with the flow, and when you're working with craft, you have to have that connection with the water," said Robyn Singh, coach for the Hawai'i Canoe and Kayak Team. "He has the ability to get on and go."

During the offseason, Beck and other kayakers train with HCKT. When they return in the fall, the results are noticeable.

"They helped me improve my technique, get it down and they help train you and get you conditioned for the sport," said Beck, who added that "having fun and just kayaking" have helped him improve.

'Iolani's Marisa Why has won the past two ILH girls titles, and Kamehameha's Kaihe Chong is the defending boys champion.

Reach Stanley Lee at sktlee@honoluluadvertiser.com.