LIHUE — Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami said it felt wonderful to see the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball program and the University of Wisconsin Badger women’s volleyball program working together on Wednesday to benefit the keiki.
LIHUE — Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami said it felt wonderful to see the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball program and the University of Wisconsin Badger women’s volleyball program working together on Wednesday to benefit the keiki.
“This is what is needed, right now,” Kawakami said. “The two teams working together for the benefit of the keiki.”
Both teams were scheduled to play the UH Spring Game — a rematch of the Tuesday night 1-3 loss suffered by UH — for the Rainbow Wahine at the new Kauai High School gymnasium that was hosting its first collegiate level sporting event since being constructed. A by-product of the Spring Game was the volleyball clinic geared for Kauai’s keiki volleyball players.
“This started last year when the University of Hawaii coaches came to visit and be a part of the Koloa Plantation Days parade,” said Stephanie Iona of the Kekaha Agricultural Association, a sponsor of the UH day trip. “Coach Robyn Ah Mow was part of the group and fell in love with the island. ‘We need to give Kauai a game,’ she said.”
Associate Coach Kaleo Baxter lent his efforts for the Kauai day trip because Baxter is an alumnus of Kauai High School.
During the Koloa Plantation Days trip, the Kauai residents benefited when the UH Tennis coach led a pickleball clinic and open play for pickleball enthusiasts at the Kauai Community College where resurfacing work on the tennis courts was being done.
The Wednesday morning clinic accommodated about a hundred keiki, including walk-ups to the original 80-plus youngsters that registered within the first 48 hours of the clinic announcement.
“This is so good that we have something here instead of us having to go to Honolulu for camps,” a parent said while watching the gym filled with youngsters work with the collegiate players. “It’s also good that there are a lot of girls here. Too often, the camps and clinics are only for the boys, or the girls don’t attend or participate.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
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