On stage, the worst that can happen is disappointing those who are watching.

The eyes of friends, family, teammates, competitors, churchgoers and even politicians watch intently, clapping and cheering upon approval, or whispering and wondering when things go amiss.

It's difficult to win everyone over, but it's also a challenge that Vaioleti Mikaele has grown accustomed to. The jovial 5-foot-10 Kaimuki High junior is the defending state discus champion with vocals that could touch your soul. She also won last year's O'ahu Interscholastic Association discus and shot put titles. When she's not starring in the throwing ring, she sings with her school's advanced music class and church choir, which has led to performances at the State Capitol and the Mainland.

"I'm used to it," Mikaele said of being on stage. "With church, we travel to the Mainland and perform. I try not to disappoint. They look at me and see what I do. When I scratch (in track) everybody will say 'she should've done this, should've done that.' I feel bad because everybody is watching me and saying 'she's the champ, she's the champ.' Then I come out scratching."

Mikaele and her teammates will compete in this afternoon's OIA Eastern Division track and field championships at Kaiser. The West championships will be held at Mililani. Both start at 1:15 p.m.

Mikaele's performance on the field can be traced to her attitude and work ethic. Learning proper technique in a sport where it's assumed strength is everything has allowed her to throw farther. The fact she's even throwing is a testament to herself. During her freshman season, her junior varsity basketball coach thought she'd make a good thrower and suggested she tryout for it. Mikaele hesitated at first, unfamiliar with the sport. But when she found out her name was already on the team's roster, "I kind of didn't want to be on the quit list."

"You honestly need strength and you need technique," said Kaimuki throws coach Mona Fa'asoa. "With strength, you can only throw so far. With technique, you constantly improve. As you get stronger, you constantly improve."

TOUGH CHOICES

When the love for music and the sport that will determine your future collide, the end result for Mikaele was two championships. Last May, she had to decide on traveling with her church choir to Texas or compete at the OIA championships. Making the decision more difficult was that her mother is the choir director at First Tongan United Methodist Church.

Her mother left the decision up to her and at the last minute, she stayed behind. With her family away and a season of proper technique under her, Mikaele won the OIA shot put and discus titles. Opposing coaches told her that she would've thrown farther if she had spent time in the weight room.

"Afterwards she (Fa'asoa) looked at me and asked 'worth the stay?' and I said 'yes,' " Mikaele said.

She went on to win the state discus title, but fouled on her three shot put attempts at the state trials.

Mikaele has already drawn interest from colleges. While it may not be her true passion, she's aware this is her future.

"This is her sport," Fa'asoa said. "Maybe she may not want this to be her sport because she has passion in volleyball and basketball, but this is where it's going to take her to college."

PRESSURE'S ON

Mikaele described last season as nerve wracking because of her youth and because competitors were aiming for her marks. All eyes remain on her, and it was quite an experience for Mikaele after she fouled on all three of her discus attempts at the first meet of the season in March. No official mark was recorded, and so started the season for the defending state champion.

"I guess when I scratch, it's more of me thinking instead of me just doing what I have to do to get my mark," Mikaele said. "The more I think, the more I scratch."

Since then, Mikaele has thrown the state's top mark in the discus (123 feet, 3 inches) and second-best mark in the shot put (37-2). She's one of four Kaimuki throwers (Dinishah Fa'asoa, Laau Kent and Lopeti Fonokalafi) who have already qualified for May's state championships on the Big Island.

"For us, it's a huge step for our program," said Tyson Matsui, Kaimuki's head track coach. "For years, we had no one at a state-caliber level and Leti comes along and now we have four throwers at states."

Mikaele is focused on cleaning up her throws and getting another teammate into states, older sister Luisa.

The two grew up singing together, playing sports and marveling at each other's athletic strengths. Mikaele looks up to her older sister in basketball. In track, "it's majority me helping her."

"She really wants to do it," Mikaele said. "She wants it more than me and I want it (for her). She's a senior."

They are sisters after all, and typical sibling rivalry can boil over to the athletic field. During basketball season this winter, the two got into a disagreement at practice. Coach Fa'asoa, who also leads the girls basketball team, knows first-hand about sisterly disputes and resolving them quickly. Her three daughters were also teammates of the Mikaeles last season.

"We ran (around the gym), holding hands, and then said sorry," said a laughing and slightly embarrassed Mikaele. "All the siblings on the team say sorry, we have to run together holding hands.

"If there's any dramas, we have to do the same thing, run around, holding hands, sing ... in front of everybody! So shame!"

Added Fa'asoa: "They're all embarrassed because there's boys (team) in the gym."

Luisa said the incident was, "typical Leti." The basketball team finished third at the state Division II championships. Now, the sisters hope to compete together in another state championship.

"I don't walk out the door without her and she doesn't walk out the door without me," Luisa said.