Wednesday, October 21, 1998
Vision quest:
Tuitele’s volleyball
life finally in order
By Jerry Campany
Special to the Star-BulletinThere are some athletic feats that can't be explained: Michael Jordan's hang time, Barry Sanders' crazy legs, Nia Tuitele's vision.
As the setter for the Hawaii Pacific University women's volleyball team, Tuitele is a 19-year-old prodigy. She directs the offense, making split-second decisions on where to send the ball to do the most damage. As the ball descends, she takes into account where her teammates are, instructions from the bench and the placement of her opponents.
Tuitele has a simple explanation for her seemingly 360-degree vision, which baffles spectators and coaches.
"I play for the Lord," Tuitele said. "God gave me the talent, and I just try to make the best use of what I have been blessed with."
Tuitele feels stronger about her God than anything else. Her parents instilled in her the Christian belief that God comes first, followed by family and education. Volleyball does not make the list and only enters Tuitele's mind when the top three are in order.
Tuitele's father, Lauititi, is a strict and disciplined parent. Were it not for his passion and conviction, Nia would be playing Division I volleyball for Washington or Ohio State.
"Four or five big mainland colleges wanted her to come and play," Lauititi said. "I wanted my little girl to stay home because she wasn't ready to move on."
HPU head coach Tita Ahuna fondly remembers the day when the All-America candidate fell into her lap.
"Nia's sister, Tofoi, was already playing for me, and I got to talking to her father about Nia," Ahuna said. "I played with her when Nia was in high school, so I was well aware of her talent. I mentioned that Nia should be playing Division I on the mainland, but that I would love to give her a shot, and her father simply said 'Tita, she's coming.' I don't know if he had talked to her about it or not, but I had lucked into a great setter, which is the hardest position to fill."
Lauititi had not spoken to Nia beforehand. He just jumped at an opportunity that he felt was right. Nia desperately wanted to go to Washington to test herself against Division I competition, and she was shocked when her father came home with the news.
"I cried for a week," Nia said. "No one questions my father, least of all someone who loves him like I do."
Lauititi's decision was questionable, and almost turned disastrous. "Everyone is mad at me," Lauititi said. "It gave me plenty of problems, but I did what is best for Nia."
Nia's mother, Katherine, suggested that the perfect solution would be to send Nia to the University of Hawaii, but Wahine head coach Dave Shoji showed no interest, which still bothers Katherine.
She redshirted last season, using the time to scout great teams and setters.
Still, sitting out last season was hard for her, and she thought about ending her college volleyball career before it got started.
When this season rolled around, she drew even closer to quitting because the team seemed to be growing without her, coming together while she struggled alone with new doubts about her ability.
"I went home and shared a good cry with the Lord," she said. "I decided to stop making excuses and stick it out."
In a 20-1 season, Nia has yet to face adversity on the court, but her coach has little doubt how she will handle it when it comes.
"She won't fold, she'll just fight," Ahuna said. "She hasn't been tested yet, but I see a fighter with a lot of heart."
