Ex-Maui swimmer resurfaces in Colorado

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Maui High's Saree Ho'opi'i was one of those young athletes who show great promise when they are 15 years old, and then gradually disappear.

HO'OPI'I

Ho'opi'i won both events again in 1998, but about a half-second slower, and in her junior year, she finished second in the 50 to Maureen Flanagan and third in the backstroke.

Then she disappeared completely.

"I burned out," she said. Ho'opi'i left her lifetime home in Pukalani and moved to Michigan — alone.

Four years later, the flame has been re-lit.

Now a third-year sophomore at Northern Colorado, Ho'opi'i is finally beating her high-school freshman times. She set a school record of 23.86 seconds in the 50 freestyle at the North Central Conference championships, improving on her lifetime best for the first time since 1997. "It took a while — six years," Ho'opi'i said.

She also set a conference-meet record of 51.68 in the 100 freestyle, anchored three school record-setting relay teams, and has qualified for next week's NCAA Division II championships in six events.

She was chosen Outstanding Swimmer of the North Central Conference championships and female Student-Athlete of the Month at Northern Colorado.

So what happened over the last four years?

"I wanted to experience something completely different from Hawai'i," Ho'opi'i said. "I like to pick up and go try new things. I went to the Mainland to open some doors. I'm an outgoing person and I knew I wouldn't have a problem making new friends. I wasn't afraid."

"A family hanai'd me," in Michigan, Ho'opi'i said. She graduated from Monroe County High School and attended Wayne State in Detroit for a year before transferring to Northern Colorado, where a cousin and two other friends were students.

Northern Colorado swimming coach Nancy Hinrichs says: "She had some bumps in the road, and was looking for a fresh start. Everybody deserves a second chance."

Ho'opi'i is making the most of her chance. She has nearly beaten her 1997 high school freshman 100 backstroke time with a 59.86 and had a personal record 1:55.98 in the 200 freestyle in January, qualifying for nationals in both events.

One of the Northern Colorado relay teams was touched out for a gold medal. "If I grew a fingernail a little longer, we would have won," Ho'opi'i said.

Before the 400 freestyle relay, coach Hinrichs said: "Saree said, 'I don't want to go to nationals by myself.' She did a 50.6 anchor leg and pulled them into nationals.

"She is still untapped, she's got a lot more potential," Hinrichs said. "I told her she is the pitcher on our team.

"Sprinters," the coach sighed, "are a different breed. They can be a handful, but Saree is a delightful handful."

FLIP TURNS: Last year, Saree Ho'opi'i scored 38 1/2 points at the NCAA II championships and earned honorable mention All-American in six events. Her best finish was fourth in the 100 freestyle in a personal best 51.51. ... One of her teammates was Sara Pires (Kamehameha '99 of Wai'alae), who was an All-American in the 100 butterfly two years (school record 57.400) and also an Academic All-American with a 3.79 grade-point average as a double major in communications and journalism with an emphasis in public relations and advertising. Pires graduated in 3 1/2 years or would have been on this year's team. She is at home, preparing for graduate school. ... Coach Nancy Hinrichs says of her swimmers from Hawai'i: "You can feel the upbringing they've had." ... Sophomore Sierra Binek (Waiakea '01 of Volcano) reached the conference finals this year in the 200 and 500 freestyle events, and has won academic honors. Coach Hinrichs calls Binek "a quiet leader," and adds, "Saree is also a leader — but not quiet." ... Ho'opi'i is majoring in sociology, with an emphasis in criminal justice.