Warrior volleyball secrets revealed
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Your fingers are green from painting the "Roof" sign. You can cuss in Greek. You are a University of Hawai'i men's volleyball fan.
You know that outside hitter Eyal Zimet has dual citizenship in Israel and the United States. You know outside hitter Costas Theocharidis' first name is Constantinos. You know middle blocker Geronimo "Jo Jo" Chala is a world-class flutist who once performed for Bill Clinton.
But did you know ...
• ... Before each match, the UH players chew gum for good luck?
Needing to relax before a match, outside hitter Tony Ching asked trainer Michelle Landis for a stick of gum. Ching found the chewing to be helpful, and soon all of the players were chewing Wrigley's Extra.
"That's our thing now," Ching said.
• ... The Warriors' theme song was created on a PC and synthesizer?
As the players prepare for the first serve, haunting chants and boom-boom-boom beats echo as Zombie Nation's "Kernkraft 400" blasts from the Stan Sheriff Center's sound system.
The song was a hit in European clubs in 1999, and the Warriors' foreign-born players requested it for warmups.
Zombie Nation is actually one person, Munich-based producer Splank (Florian Senfter), who created the song using a PC and a synthesizer. The title roughly translates to "nuclear power 400."
• ... Arena announcer Ben Kia'aina rehearses his introductions during the 20-minute drive from his Kalihi home to the Stan Sheriff Center?
"I roll up the windows, turn up the radio a little bit and go through my whole introduction routine," Kia'aina said. "I like to see how long I can hold the word 'Warriors.' "
His record is eight seconds.
He traces his vocal stamina to his days at Kalakaua Intermediate. "I used to play trombone," he said. "That helped my breathing."
• ... The "Warrior" mascot was 14 pounds and 23 inches at birth?
As a writer once noted, the 6-foot-1, 292-pound Vili Fehoko was big when he was small.
"His birth was natural, too," said his wife, Linda Lee Fehoko.
Fehoko and his family perform regularly at the Polynesian Cultural Center and at 60 conventions and meetings each year.
After watching one performance, UH football coach June Jones asked Fehoko to work at Warrior games at Aloha Stadium.
"I think he's great," said UH coach Mike Wilton, who asked Fehoko to perform during volleyball matches. The booster club pays Fehoko $6,000 per season.
"He brings a lot of excitement into the arena," Wilton said. "He gets the seniors to put down those knitting needles."
Linda Lee Fehoko said her husband stays in shape by lifting 100-pound dumbbells. "He takes them everywhere he goes," she said.
• ... Middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic was once a gymnast?
Enough said.
• ... Outside hitter Jose Delgado is dating Rainbow Wahine volleyball standout Lily Kahumoku?
"Oh, my gosh, she's a super wonderful person," Delgado said. "The first time I saw her, I never thought we would be together. We were hanging out as friends and we had such a good time together. Then we knew we liked each other."
