Hawaii Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
|
Ex-HSJGA golfer Wie donates $50,000
Local pro golfer Michelle Wie has donated $50,000 to the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association, the organization that helped give her her start, the HSJGA announced yesterday.
The 16-year-old, who recently signed endorsement deals with Nike and Sony for about $10 million a year, asked that the money be used as a scholarship fund to help Hawaii junior golfers travel to the mainland and around the state.
"The HSJGA prepared me to qualify and play in my first national championship on the mainland, the USGA Women's Amateur Public Links Championship when I was 10 years old," Wie said in a statement. "I believe for anyone to develop and mature as a player and a person you need to regularly put yourself in unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations to test yourself and grow as a golfer and a person. I hope I can help other junior golfers in Hawaii follow their dreams to be the best they can be."
HSJGA president Mary Bea Porter-King was "thrilled" at the news.
"Michelle understands the burden on many families to pay for tournament and travel expenses and wants to help other junior golfers in Hawaii with financial needs to compete," Porter-King said. "The HSJGA was formed in 1998 to give all children in Hawaii the same opportunities to play and compete as their counterparts on the mainland. This will really level the playing field for all junior golfers in Hawaii."
Services tomorrow for noted judo sensei
Funeral services are tomorrow for Leeward Judo Club founder and sensei Tsuruo Fukushima, who developed hundreds of black belts, scores of state and national champions and two U.S. Olympic team members in 64 years of teaching the sport.
Fukushima's most successful pupil was 1988 Olympic silver medalist and current Leeward sensei Kevin Asano. Fukushima also coached Keith Nakasone, captain of the 1980 U.S. team that did not compete due to boycott.
The Maui-born Fukushima was a World War II veteran. The Pearl City resident died May 12 at age 81 at Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi. Fukushima is survived by wife Terry, sons Robert and Scotty, brother Dick, sister Namiko Nakagawa and three grandchildren.
There is a 9:30 a.m. visitation at Mililani Mortuary Makai Chapel, followed by funeral service at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. burial at Mililani Memorial Park.
Wahine sailors open in 11th at nationals
The sixth-ranked Hawaii women's sailing team was in 11th place heading into today's second day of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association Women's Dinghy Championship in Charleston, S.C.
The Rainbow Wahine, who won this event in 2001, scored a combined 99 points in A- and B-divison competition. Hobart leads the regatta with 58 points, followed by Navy (59) and Georgetown (64).
The 18-team event on the Cooper River concludes tomorrow.
UH women's soccer releases schedule
The defending Western Athletic Conference champion Hawaii women's soccer team will open the upcoming season on Aug. 25 against Washington in the Ohana Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi Tournament. It is one of four tournaments the Rainbow Wahine will host at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
Hawaii will also compete at the University of Arizona's tournament Sept. 8-10. Also on the nonconference road schedule are Northern Arizona, San Diego and Loyola Marymount.
The Rainbow Wahine, with 15 letterwinners and seven starters back, begin their WAC title defense at Idaho Oct. 6 with their home WAC opener Oct. 13 against Louisiana Tech.
The complete schedule is in Scoreboard, at right.
Hawaii 16s off to USA Baseball junior west
The Hawaii Warriors, a team of 18 16-year-olds from Oahu, Maui and Kauai, will compete in next month's USA Baseball Junior Olympic West Championships at Peoria, Ariz.
On the roster are Dayton Alexander, Aaron Asato, Jordan Camara, Kamahele Chow, Jordan Kahalekai-Bermoy, Kamuela Kalehuawehe-Valentine, Isaiah Kaneakua and Kelton Kealoha, all attending Kamehameha-Maui. Also, Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes, Mitchell Kauweloa, Pi'ikea Kitamura, Ashkhon Kuhaulua, Kaohu McCabe, Ula Nakamura, Christopher Pascual, Alika Pruett and Waylen Sing Chow, all from Kamehameha-Oahu.
The team is coached by Barry Takahashi of Kamehameha-Maui. His assistants are Brandon Kanamu, Kaholo Rickard, Kamana Kala and Leonard Barcoma Sr.
Play runs from June 21 to July 1. Also in the 72-team field from Hawaii is the Team Hawaii, made up of players from the OIA and ILH.