When Wendell Look became 'Iolani School's football coach in 1991, little did he know his future placekicker would be the baby girl whose diapers he was changing every day.

"No," Look said after a practice last week, "I never would have imagined it ..."

Yet at 2 p.m. Saturday, when the Raiders host Kaua'i in the First Hawaiian Bank Division II State Championship semifinals, their fate could very well rest on the right foot of Look's younger daughter, Kodi.

'Iolani (4-6) is the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's DII representative; Kaua'i (8-1) is the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champ. In last year's state tournament, the Raiders held off Kaimuki, 41-40, in the first round and then lost in the semifinals to King Kekaulike, 38-37.

Look wouldn't be surprised to see another dramatic finish Saturday, with Kodi's point-after-touchdown attempts playing a crucial role.

"She knows every single time she goes out there, it's important," Look said. "She knows everybody is depending on her."

Based on her recent history, Kodi appears to be no stranger to unique challenges or pressure situations.

Not only is she one of the first girls to ever play varsity football for 'Iolani and one of only a handful around the state, but she could be the first one in Hawai'i to have her father as the head coach.

Kodi's place on the roster, though, seems a bit natural given the fact that she practically was born into the program.

"I came to almost every practice when I was growing up, so I knew what it was about," Kodi said. "I actually started kicking in the third or fourth grade."

But until this year, her main sports focus was on soccer. She had mentioned playing football, but her pediatrician, Kamehameha defensive coordinator Jimmy Nakamura, wanted her to be able to bench press her body weight before he gave the OK.

Last spring, Kodi (135 pounds) finally passed the test.

"Her sophomore and junior years, Jimmy said no, but this year, he said, 'I think she can do it,' " Look said. "She got excited, then she got serious."

Even as a kicker, Kodi was required to go through all the off-season weight lifting and conditioning work the rest of the team did, and she still must lift and run all the sprints the other players do. She also had to learn how to tackle.

"I knew that part of it was going to be hard," said her mother, Linda Look. "I was a little concerned the first day they practiced with pads, but she followed through with it."

As with other coach/fathers, Look was intent on not showing any special treatment.

"I knew it was one of her goals to play and kick for the football team, but I wanted to make sure she wanted to do it for the right reasons," Look said. "I wanted to make sure she was committed, so she had to go through all the summer training and work hard like the other players."

Look said he noticed Kodi's ability to focus in another intense activity earlier this year.

"She really likes hula, so she joined Ed Collier's halau," Look said. "Before that, she was kind of wishy-washy, like a typical teenager. But when you practice for Merrie Monarch, that's as huge a commitment as there is — the discipline and perfection it demands ... you really have to put your heart and soul into it. She was able to do that and accomplish something, and it surprised me, surprised my wife.

"To me, it was a turning point for her. It showed me that she had grown up, that she can handle this (playing football)."

Kodi has made an impact on the field, leading all of the state's Division II specialists with 25 extra points. That also ranks her second in scoring among DII specialists. She has missed only two PAT attempts all season, with one miss coming after a bad snap.

"It's a great feeling to know I can contribute," Kodi said.

Her dad is pleased, as well.

"She's been pretty consistent," Look said. "She knew she wouldn't be just a token player."

On a personal level, having Kodi on the team has allowed Look to share some valuable family time during her senior year.

"Because of football, I've missed so many of her soccer games, her water polo, swimming," Look said. "She was always so understanding and she never complained, so hopefully this makes up for some of that.

"I'm really glad we have the opportunity to spend this time together."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.