Twenty-four teams, 84 matches but just one goal — win the 5th annual Kaua‘i Challenge Girl’s Volleyball Invitational, which kicks off Thursday at Kaua‘i High School’s gym. This year, play will be at all three High Schools, Kapa‘a, Waimea and
Twenty-four teams, 84 matches but just one goal — win the 5th annual Kaua‘i Challenge Girl’s Volleyball Invitational, which kicks off Thursday at Kaua‘i High School’s gym.
This year, play will be at all three High Schools, Kapa‘a, Waimea and Kaua‘i High. The tournament began four years ago with just eight teams competing. California’s Mater Dei is the defending champion.
Other teams competing include: Marlborough School, Calif., Mater Dei, Harvard-Westlake, Calif., Kaua‘i Red, Kaua‘i White, Kapa‘a, Waimea, Roosevelt, Pearl City, Radford, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i Baptist Academy, Maryknoll, Sacred Hearts, Mililani, Waipahu, Moanalua, Waialua, Seabury Hall, Kealakehe, Woodside Priory, Calif., Redondo Union, Calif., Rim of the World, Calif., and Vista Murrietta, Calif.
Matches begin on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at all three high schools. Friday play starts at 1:30 p.m at Kaua‘i High, and at 5:15 p.m. at Kapa‘a and Waimea high schools. Play starts Saturday at 8 a.m. at all three schools.
On Saturday, all teams will be playing in one of three divisions, Po‘okela, Olinolino or Onipa‘a, for respective division championships. A complete schedule will be posted at www.members.aol.com/kauaivb.
“The community has been very supportive and we are grateful to our sponsors, Bank of Hawaii Insurance, Kikiaola Land Company, Waimea Plantation Cottages, Falko Partners, Silver Oaks Investments, Roland D. Sagum III, Kauai Sports Foundation, Makai Properties, Outfitters Kauai, King Auto Center, Brenneckes Beach Broiler, Jodi Matsumoto-Realtor, KIUC, Travel International Sports, Ibaan Table Rentals, Kauai Beverage, Ventures, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Waimea High School, Kapa‘a High School,” Kaua‘i High School girls volleyball head coach Rich Roberts said in a press release. “A huge mahalo to the parents who are organizing the event and who are also coordinating the awards dinner.”
Roberts said this year’s tournament looks to be one of the most competitive yet.
“If you love volleyball you will be treated to some great play,” he said. “Three of the California teams are listed in the top 100 high school teams, according to Prep Volleyball.com, at the end of 2005.”
Shelton Tang will again be the overall tournament and court director at Kaua‘i High School.
“He runs Impact Volleyball Club in Honolulu and is a volunteer coach at the University of Hawai‘i for the women’s volleyball program,” Roberts said. “This year, we are also fortunate to have Dan Kitashima as court director at Kapa‘a High School and Debbie Koochi as the Waimea court director.”
Kitashima is a former head coach of Kamehameha Schools Girls varsity program with numerous state championships.
“Debbie runs O‘ahu Volleyball Club and is on the committee that runs the USA Juniors Aloha Region Volleyball Program,” Roberts said.
Saturday evening there will be an awards banquet and a DVD show of the tournament presented by Manny Henriques, as well as Tahitian dance performances by the Villatora family and players on the Kauai High School squad.
“Our special guest speaker will be Laurel Brassey Iversen, a former Olympian and NCAA Division I coach,” Roberts said.
For more information, contact Rich Roberts at 482-0975 or 1peggy@hawaiiantel.net.
