Separated and well-traveled, the Spartans finally get to come home.

Eighty-two years after Maryknoll School opened, its new $21 million Maryknoll Community Center will give the school its first indoor gymnasium and a facility to gather and unify its 1,400 student body.

It's a homecoming long overdue and the 35,000-square-foot, two-story, maroon-accented structure will redefine what it means to be a student-athlete at Maryknoll.

For decades, athletes practiced on the school's outdoor courts or were bused to practice facilities, played "home" games at other schools' gyms and dreamed of the day their own children could play in an indoor facility. With separate campuses for its grade school and high school, opportunities to co-mingle were limited.

Blessing for the community center, which includes the air-conditioned Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium, offices, locker rooms, study areas, training room, fitness center and even a lounge for alumni, will be held at Friday's grand-opening ceremonies. A mass at the ceremonies will offer the rare opportunity for the school's entire pre-kindergarten-to-12th-grade student body to convene together under one roof.

"It's invigorating because we've never had space to bring everybody together even though we're such a small school," said senior volleyball player Christina Chun, a Maryknoll student since kindergarten. "We've never had one place to gather, so I think we can have a lot of festivities and activities together to unite as one school like we should be."

Friday's grand opening starts at 10:45 a.m. with the untying of maile and blessing of the different rooms inside the community center. The public is welcomed to an open house from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Bishop Larry Silva will preside over the all-school mass and consecrate a new altar that was built from a tree that once stood where the community center is today.

"You have this resource, it becomes all the more easy to keep things together, to have that sense of unity," Silva said. "It's a healthier and safer place for students to do their sports and practice."

PLANNING PAYS OFF

Construction on the center began 1 1/2 years ago, long after an indoor gym was etched into memories of students and staff. One of the biggest obstacles was finding open space on the two campuses flanked by residential dwellings, streets and a freeway.

The community center occupies what were apartment buildings and a convent.

"It was an extended, long process, with many, many people involved in the process over the years to carry on the torch," said Dean Miyamoto, a 1972 graduate who recently shot baskets in the gym with his son, Darin, a Maryknoll seventh grader. "These are people who are alumni, (and) not alumni, who have been kind and generous toward everyone."

The center's costs come entirely from donations from alumni, community groups and even current students.

"When they came (with their proposal), we were very impressed they thought this out and planned it," said Steve Gilley, president of the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, which donated $3 million. "They did a good job in the fundraising. We're very proud of what they did."

Athletic director Pattie Heatherly, a 1966 Maryknoll alumna, recalled a 1997 meeting with the school's board where she brought along data — from transportation costs to the amount of practice time lost to travel — to support her stance for wanting a gym.

The board was convinced.

"It's a dream come true," Heatherly said. "I didn't think it could be done."

FOCUSING ON THE WHOLE

The new gym has already reinvigorated students in physical education classes and school president Perry Martin said athletes are now given the tools needed before practices start, whether its space to study, weight train or opportunities for students to mentor each other.

"It really changes the whole complexion on how kids think about school," Martin said. "Before it was really focused on classroom, teacher and school, and what it does for us now is it gives us really that whole focus on community rather than the independence of class and teacher."

Saturday's 3 p.m. volleyball match against St. Francis will mark the team's home opener. The squad has been practicing in the gym since late July and players are starting to feel accustomed to being at home, particularly since there have never been practices in an air-conditioned facility. They were bused to practices at various community gyms in previous years, and practice time was limited due to time spent on travel and equipment set up.

"I'm really excited," said senior volleyball player Michele LaPorte, who has attended Maryknoll since kindergarten. "I've wanted a gym since (grade school) so it's good to get your own gym, and it's my senior year."

Chun, who is also on the student senate, said plans have been discussed to hold mass and activities inside the gym. The sound-proof center will also be used for performances, assemblies, liturgies and alumni gatherings.

The possibilities, once impossible, are endless. Even Chun's father, Anthony, a Maryknoll alum, wants to help plan team events in the gym.

WINDS OF CHANGE

Longtime Maryknoll boys basketball coach Tony Sellitto used to joke his teams were the best wind shooters in the world.

"They had to make baskets in the wind," Sellitto said of the outdoor practices.

In 23 years at Maryknoll, he never brought up to his players that they lacked a facility. Instead, his teams dominated — winning one state title in 1984, three Division A (Division II) state titles from 1978 to 1980 and a five state runner-up finishes.

"They never ever complained, just played basketball," Sellitto said. "I'm sure it made them better people, better basketball players."

Sellitto, who will be at Friday's grand opening, is amazed by the players who came through his program. Their names read like state sports history lore — Garrett Gabriel, Kui Ostrowski, the Kalaukoa brothers. They went on to play collegiately and even won state titles as coaches. Kelly Grant led Kaimuki to a boys basketball state title in 2007 and Mike Among led 'Iolani to a boys state volleyball title in 2008.

"They won because they were undaunted about any worry that somebody was better than them, had a better school, campus, gym, it didn't cross their minds," Sellitto said.

Even in the school's early years, there was little space for activity.

"There wasn't very much in that line," said Lucile Smith Mistysyn, a 1937 alumna who volunteers at Maryknoll. "We've been looking forward to this beautiful building that we have now. Unfortunately, a lot of people of our time aren't here today to enjoy it."

NBA REGULATION

The gym, which has a capacity of 1,607, has an NBA regulation-sized court that can be converted to two basketball courts and three volleyball courts.

While the community center's immediate and noticeable features will instantly catch one's amazement, the little details are just as amazing.

The Interscholastic League of Honolulu logo is found on the court.

Rooms outside of the locker rooms allow teams to meet and watch footage of their games.

There's a lounge area inside the women's bathroom accented with a couch, plants and potpourri, and there's an underground garage that offers much-needed parking. Even the carpeting and furniture are in the school's maroon color.

And former University of Hawai'i football player Colt Brennan's rant about the lack of soap in his school's showers was heard loud and clear at Maryknoll. Each shower stall has a soap dispenser and curtains.

There's even a storage area for all the team's uniforms that Heatherly once hid in every secret spot she found on campus because space was a premium. She joked that had she died, no team would be able to locate their uniforms.

Maryknoll's athletic history — with trophies, balls and plaques that were once housed all over the campus — is finally home in the community center, having already filled up two trophy cases in the hallway outside of the gym. Included are the two recent state championship trophies — Division II boys volleyball from 2006 and Division II baseball from 2009.

"In the next couple years, we're going to grow so much as far as what it means to be a school, what the values of Maryknoll professes," president Martin said. "Now it's a matter of stepping up and collaborating with grade levels and different people to make it happen."