Anuenue takes first step with OIA volleyball debut

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Anuenue's volleyball team (back, left to right): Nanikehau Keama, Kamino'aka Leota, Hi'ilani Soma, Kahaulahilahi Vegas; (front, left to right), Kawailani Soma, Waianuhea Lyau and Kealaulaokamamo Leota. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Short of players, but more critically, lacking in experience, the Anuenue girls know their first season of interscholastic competition as a member of the OIA Eastern Division will be tough. But they also knew that if they wanted a team they could call their own, they had to start some time. That historical moment will come Monday, when Anuenue travels to Farrington for a 5 p.m. match.

"It feels good to be a part of the first volleyball team for Anuenue," senior Kamino'aka Leota said. "You gotta start somewhere."

Anuenue, which does not have a nickname for its athletic teams, is a Hawaiian language immersion school in Palolo Valley. All class instruction, except for English, is spoken in Hawaiian. Even practice is conducted in the Hawaiian language.

Before this year, if Anuenue students wanted to play interscholastic sports, they had to try-out with Roosevelt High's teams. Seniors Hi'ilani Soma and Nanikehau Keama said they tried out for junior varsity at Roosevelt two years ago, but did not make the team.

This school year, Anuenue is scheduled to participate in bowling, tennis, basketball and cheerleading. (The school has been involved in paddling before this year.) It will be competing on the JV level and only for girls. Although the school, which has grades K-12, is coed, about three-quarters of the 42 high-school level students are girls, said coach C. Lapule Schultz. The school has an intermediate (seventh and eighth graders) team for girls volleyball that plays against other public intermediate and middle schools in the Honolulu area. It is well-stocked with a staggering 35 players, Schultz said.

"So when they come up, we'll have some kids improving and we'll build for the years to come," Schultz said.

Schultz, a math teacher, has coached at the intermediate, JV and varsity levels at Saint Louis School before coming to Anuenue. He is realistic about his team's first season.

"We wanted to expose them to volleyball," Schultz said. "That was the first goal. The second goal was to put points together and to bond. Those were the only two main goals that we have so far. We don't have too many high expectations. We just want them to experience the game at a higher level."

The conventional way to start would be to field a JV squad. But there was not enough interest from girls in the ninth and 10th grades. With four upperclassmen — Keama, sisters Kamino'aka and Kealaulaokamamo Leota (a junior) and Hi'ilani Soma — Anuenue didn't have a choice but to go the varsity route. Sophomores Waianuhea Lyau and Kawailani Soma, and freshman Kahaulahilahi Vegas would have been the only ones eligible for JV competition.

Most of the girls' playing experience is from park leagues.

"Organized (volleyball) and park (leagues) is way different," middle blocker Lyau said. "We couldn't even pass, set and hit (in our earlier workouts)."

Schultz said the players have improved "a good tenfold." But "improved" is a relative term for the girls.

"I would say on a zero-to-10 on everybody's scale, we're about a four right now, where most of the other schools are at eight," Schultz said. "I don't expect them to go a little higher than four because they're at a point where they need to just experience the game."

The girls have been enlightened with scrimmages and in the Longy Okamoto Tournament.

"It's like, 'Whoa, this is scary,' " Keama recalled of facing varsity competition for the first time.

Although their experience is limited, all of the girls have one thing in common. They all said they loved playing volleyball. Once they saw their games slowing developing, they have started to appreciate the game more.

"It was really hard at the start," defensive specialist Vegas said. "But it got kind of fun when we got to know more (about the game)."

The girls said it is special to be a part of the school's history by being on the first volleyball team.

"It's a privilege to actually have a team," Keama said. "I love volleyball. I'm so excited."

Notes: The OIA West begins play today. The East starts Saturday, except for two matches. Besides the Farrington-Anuenue match, Kaimuki plays host to Kailua on Monday.

Former University of Hawai'i player Aven Lee has replaced her cousin Tehani Fiatoa as coach of Kalani's girls' volleyball team.

"I feel like there's more pressure on me to actually teach and make them learn something by the end of the season," Lee said. "It's not so much to win, but to see them improve their skills and get better."

Defending OIA boys' champion Pearl City is now coached by Dayne Teves. He succeeds Reid Shigemasa, who resigned after last season to attend UH.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042