KOLOA – For five Kaua‘i High School juniors, Sunday evening was special as they gathered with their families at one of the quintet’s homes, relishing the misty showers as they enjoyed a homecoming of sorts. Since February, these five boys,
KOLOA – For five Kaua‘i High School juniors, Sunday evening was special as they gathered with their families at one of the quintet’s homes, relishing the misty showers as they enjoyed a homecoming of sorts.
Since February, these five boys, Garrett Sakimae, Kaleo Baxter, Va‘afuti Tavana, Kevin Downing, and Justin McSheehy have been maintaining weekends away from home after being accepted into the ASICS Rainbow Volleyball Club.
The acceptance has meant that the five boys board a plane to O‘ahu on Friday afternoon following school, practice and play volleyball there before returning on Sunday in time for school Monday morning.
Recently, the five boys, two of whom play for the ARVC 16’s and three play for the 17’s team returned from the Big Island where they finished sixth in a field of about four dozen teams from around the state and mainland.
With that accomplishment under their belt, the teams are seeking to better their showing at the Junior Olympics tournament that will be coming up in Texas in July.
Last year, the ARVC finished third in Club Division for the 16’s team, and third in Open Division for the 17’s team. The goal for this year is to finish first, the boys agreed.
Weary, but enthusiastic about their weekend of volleyball, the five Kaua‘i boys are the only outer island players in the club.
This started out when Baxter heard about the program while on O‘ahu to watch his brother play in a soccer tournament, and with Tavana, both boys thought it would be interesting to try out for the program as a test to see if they had what it took to be able to play at a level beyond what they were used to on Kaua‘i.
Surprisingly, both boys were accepted following the tryouts, but only Baxter persevered through the season.
After talking with Baxter, the three others decided they would like to see if they could match play against some of the top players, and went to try out.
Upon acceptance, the group now makes their weekly trips to Honolulu where they are involved in practices and tournament play almost every weekend.
Looking ahead, the boys agree that making the trip to the Junior Olympics where their respective teams have already been accepted, is a good thing because the top volleyball recruiters converge on the tournament to see what kind of talent is out there.
Training is a lot harder at the ARVC, Downing noted after going through several weekends. All players went through the KIF volleyball season as Red Raider varsity players, and Downing adds that ARVC practices are very competitive and intense, a facet that all agree will help them when they try out for the 2005 KIF teams.
During their weekend sojourns to O‘ahu, the boys are lucky to have a benefactor in the guise of Kaua‘i High School alumni, David Ishii and his family.
Colan Ishii, David’s son, is on the ARVC 16’s team, and through this connection, the Ishii family has been hosting the five boys during the weekend
Becky Sakimae is quick to add that Mrs. Ishii not only does the cooking to feed the five growing bodies, but also does their laundry, takes them shopping, to the movies, and out to eat in addition to picking them up and dropping them off at the airport.
The weekly routine does pose its share of problems for the five aspiring volleyballers, but each maintains that they are in good academic standing at Kaua‘i High School despite the rigorous schedule that will continue until the season ends in July.
The 16’s depart for Texas on June 26 with the 17’s following a week later.
With the goal clearly in sight, the boys’ families have also said they will be on the plane to Texas when they boys attempt to bring home the gold.
Jeremy McDown, a senior at Waimea High School, was also at the Big Island tournament, Downing said. McDown is also undergoing off-island training on O‘ahu with the Kui Kahe program whose members are made up of the ARVC 17’s of last year.
Dave Shoji, with the help of Howard Wallace, founded the Rainbow Volleyball Club in 1985 to provide Hawai‘i’s youth a place to learn a high level of competitive volleyball.
Shortly after its establishment, ASICS Tiger Corp., manufacturer of athletic shoes, clothing and accessories, became a corporate sponsor and the club was renamed to ASICS Rainbow Volleyball Club.
Many of the people who have either helped, or been members of the ARVC have attained honors in volleyball around the state.
When the five Kaua‘i Rainbows shine from Texas, they will never forget that it all started on Kaua‘i at the Hokuao Volleyball Club coached by Uncle Kaipo and Auntie Joan Kealilio.
