Tatum Gonsalves was nervous about the start of this year’s volleyball season. “It was a surprise getting to play so much,” said the 17-year-old Waimea High School senior. “I didn’t think I was going to play that much, like maybe
Tatum Gonsalves was nervous about the start of this year’s volleyball season.
“It was a surprise getting to play so much,” said the 17-year-old Waimea High School senior. “I didn’t think I was going to play that much, like maybe I wasn’t good enough or something.”
But she came onto the court and became a strong force for Waimea, and helped her team win its second straight Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title. Gonsalves averaged 15.2 kills per game.
“It was hard to get used to in the beginning because I had never been in those situations before. I’d never been in those high-pressure situations (in games) before,” she said.
She and the team found themselves in a high-pressure situation just two weeks ago when they played against Kaua‘i High School at the end of Round 2. Kaua‘i won the first round of the season and Waimea needed to take Round 2 to force a playoff.
Gonsalves broke out big for that game coming up with a season-high 22 kills.
“That was probably my favorite game,” she said.
Waimea head coach Chad Delanoza was impressed with her progression over the year.
“She matured,” he said. “She sat behind some big names last year and she worked her way into the lineup this year.”
Gonsalves played both front and back row this year, a difference from last when she only played up front. It was a personal goal for herself to work on her defense and her passing so she could play all over the court. Her hard work seems to have really paid off.
“She gave us a lot of opportunities to be in the position we’re in now,” Delanoza said.
Gonsalves started playing volleyball when she was in elementary school. She’s the daughter of a pageant queen and former University of Hawai‘i volleyball player.
She used to watch her father and her uncles play in volleyball tournaments and got hooked. She started playing for the Hooikaika volleyball club and has been playing ever since.
In addition to playing volleyball, Gonsalves plays basketball and softball. The honor student, who maintains a 3.667 grade point average, helps with the Adopt-a-Highway cleanups, is a member of the Leo Club and has been in the NJROTC program all four years of high school.
“I wanted to be in it since seventh grade because they used to always come to our school to recruit us,” she said. “It’s really helpful with getting scholarships and getting into college. You get a lot of great opportunities from it.”
Gonsalves has looked into going to the University of California at Davis for its volleyball program and Brigham Young University Hawai‘i because it fits with her religion. She hasn’t ruled out continuing in the ROTC program, and is considering majoring in math.
Just last week, Gonsalves graced Waimea’s homecoming court as Miss Victory.
Gonsalves and the team took the last flight out of Lihu‘e to O‘ahu yesterday night to prepare for the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball Division II State Tournament which starts tomorrow.
It seems as though Gonsalves is not so much nervous anymore, but excited about being in the state tournament.
Waimea (7-2) plays in the Radford bracket and will face Hawai‘i Prep Academy (13-3) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Radford High School. The winner will face top-ranked Hawai‘i Baptist Academy (14-4) on Thursday.
For updated tournament results, visit www.sportshigh.com.
Tatum Gonsalves
Hometown: Waimea
Family: Edene and Aukai Gonsalves, two brothers
Favorite volleyball player: Nani Cockett
Tatum’s ideal volleyball team: Waimea grads Chaslee Delanoza, Nue Wong and Nani Dennis, the setter from Iolani School Lauren Lum and current teammate Tia Agader. “I think I play better when Tia’s on the court. She pumps me up.”
What she’d be doing if she wasn’t playing sports: “I used to play the violin for three years. That was interesting. I used to play the piano when I was little. I still play here and there. One of my greatest inspirations is my grandmother because she plays the piano and is always giving her time to play for her church. I would like to do that and be like her but I probably won’t be.”
What she likes to do in her spare time: “I like to spend time with my family. We used to go on family vacations a lot, like to O‘ahu or the Big Island. And because we’re Mormon, we often take trips to the Temple in Laie. It’s really beautiful.”
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
