Kai picked for Under-21 national soccer camp
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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The camp is the first of a series of tryouts for the U.S. team that will play in the Nordic Cup. The tournament, considered this age group's premier international competition, will be this summer in Denmark. The United States has won it five straight times.
Several longtime soccer officials said they couldn't recall any other player from Hawai'i invited to a national camp at this level.
Kai, a sophomore forward, is one of 24 players who will be at the National Training Center in Carson, Calif., from Jan. 23 to Feb. 1. Eighteen to 20 players will be selected after the series of tryouts.
"If she's fit and performs at the level she can perform, then she'll make the team, I have no doubt about it," UH coach Pinsoom Tenzing said.
Kai could not be reached for comment.
UH teammate Robyn deHay, a Western Athletic Conference first-team selection, said: "Getting called up the first time is an honor, but if she can get called back, that would be huge for Hawai'i because that only means that not only did she prove herself in college, but she'll prove that she is a good player and that the WAC has players good enough for the national team."
Tenzing said he recommended Kai to U-21 National Team coach Chris Petrucelli, who is also the University of Texas coach, after Hawai'i's season ended in mid-November.
"He put her on the national pool some time ago, but I didn't want people to know because I didn't want embarrassment for her if she was not selected," Tenzing said.
Tenzing said he got the call letting him know that Kai made the camp late last week.
"I hope that she understands that with her athletic ability she can do so much more, and if she's a better student of the game, she can make it to the highest level," deHay said.
Kai is the two-time WAC Player of the Year and led the nation in goals with 29 last season.
"This is really exciting news for all of us," said Tenzing, who said that Petrucelli did not ask for any game tapes of Kai. Tenzing said he is "certain" that Kai was also recommended by opposing coaches.
"She is one person for who it doesn't seem to make a difference whether she is at home or on the road, her level of performance is the same," Tenzing said.
Kai, a 2001 graduate of Kahuku High from La'ie, is the only player from Hawai'i listed in any of the National Team member pools.
These include the U-16, U-17, U-19 and the Senior National Team, which features Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Kristine Lilly. These teams, which are United States Soccer Federation-sanctioned, are separate from the U.S. Youth Soccer Association.
Other players from Hawai'i have made USYSA national team camps.
Hale'iwa's Brian Ching was the first to gain national team experience, when he earned his first cap on May 26, 2003, in an International Friendly against Wales
Kai will be missing school, but Tenzing said that she is working out her missing class time with her advisers.
She is also a member of the UH softball team, and will rejoin the team after she returns from the camp, according to softball coach Bob Coolen, who said Kai would be used mainly as a pinch-runner.
Kai owns numerous conference and school soccer records, including single-season goals (29), points (64), and consecutive matches with a point (9). She also set a conference record with 14 goals in the WAC season.
She is the Hawai'i career leader in points (99), goals (45) and game-winning goals (13).
"She's helping to put Hawai'i players on the map," deHay said.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
