Aaron Wilton went to his knees to make this pass during a match
earlier this season. Photo by Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin

ALL the hype surrounding the top-ranked University of Hawaii men's volleyball team has irritated more than impressed the Rainbows' head coach. The attention and adulation has blurred the focus of Wilton's primary goal for his team: a national title.

Mike Wilton

There was one special treatment, however, the Hawaii team enjoyed this morning as they left for the final four in Los Angeles. And Wilton was very happy about this perk.

"For the first time in the history of the University of Hawaii men's volleyball program, we are are going to ride from the university to the airport in a for-real Roberts bus," said Wilton. "The other times, people have driven us in university vans. By golly, we're going first cabin this time. Know what? We deserve it."

The jaunt down H-1 was expected to be pretty tame compared to the wild ride the Wilton family has been on the past 12 months. Sandwiching a nearly perfect season Jenny, the eldest of five children, and her Wahine volleyball team are the two trips to the men's final four for dad Mike and oldest son Aaron.

It's like comparing ballet to slam-dancing for mom Kuulei.

"The Wahine season was a very pleasant experience for the family personally," said Kuulei Wilton, who works for the state's Child & Adolescent Mental Health Department. "It was nice to see Jenny be as successful finally, see her have the kind of season we knew she could have if it hadn't been for all the injuries.

"It was enjoyable, not only because of the winning (31-1) but because she was able to do what she was capable of doing. It was smooth sailing as far as the family situation."

The current men's season has been a different kind of thrill ride, she said.

"It's had a different kind of aura to it," said Kuulei Wilton. "The public perception of this team is different. I couldn't go anywhere without people wanting to praise the team.

"I've been involved in volleyball too long to know that on any given night, any team could lose. It was always in the back of my mind that I hoped they would be appreciated for their ability and not just because they were winning."

When the Rainbows lost to UC Santa Barbara last Friday night in the conference semifinals, it stunned not only the record-setting crowd in the Special Events Arena. It knocked the wind out of an entire state, causing flashbacks to last December when the Wahine were knocked out of title competition one match away from the final four.

Kuulei Wilton cheers on the
UH men's volleyball team.
Photo by Craig Kojima, Star-Bulletin

"It was always in the back of my mind, what happened to my sister," said Aaron Wilton, a junior hitter. "After I saw her lose in the regional, I kept thinking I didn't want it to happen to us. My sister relived it all over again at our game (Friday). Losing Friday was tough but you grow from tough situations. For us to win the national championship would be proof of that growth.

"It was hard to sign autographs Friday, to talk to the media, but my mom told me it was a sign of a true good person if, even in bad times, you can still be a good person. There's been a lot of support from my entire family." And a lot of stress for the family, particularly 17-year-old Mike, Melissa, who turned 15 today, and 12-year-old Eva. Mike has decided that he will attend Brigham Young.

"And Melissa has asked if she could get rid of the Wilton name for a while," said Kuulei Wilton. "She wants to change schools. I think it's hard for the younger kids to be known as Aaron's sister or Jenny's brother. They aren't allowed to have their own identities."

Aaron Wilton said he can relate to what his younger siblings are going through. He had to follow in the court shoes of his older sister.

"I had a hard time in high school," said Aaron. "But for Mike, it would be double the expectations and the pressure. I wouldn't want to be playing anywhere else in the world. But I can understand why Mike would want to go somewhere where he can be himself and not Aaron and Jenny's brother, or the coach's son."

The Family Wilton has dealt with tougher situations than overwhelming fan and media attention.

After Mike Sr. was let go from his job as women's coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the family moved to the Big Island and relied on support from Kuulei's family.

"Mike losing his job was the greatest stress of his life and probably the most difficult time in our marriage," said Kuulei Wilton, married to the coach for 24 years. "What we're dealing with now isn't looking for a job, it's not worrying about where the next paycheck is coming from, or his disappointment of not being involved with what he loves most.

"I think we're still recovering from that, but it was also the strongest point for our marriage because I was there for him and he was there for me. Yes, I do think our strong family values have helped us weather the adversity."

"The insanity (surrounding men's volleyball) has been difficult for our family. We all feel the pressure for the boys to perform. After the loss (Friday), Mike said to me, `Maybe there is a silver lining to this, that the team needed the loss to make them hungry.' "

"The attention this year has been off the charts," said Mike Wilton, "and I don't really care for it. I'm not interested in acclaim, in being a real public person. I want to be an old guy that goes in the gym with the boys to do the stuff I like, which is training and working with the team.

"This celebrity stuff is for the birds. All I'm trying to do is get us focused on what we set as our ultimate goal at the start of the season: a national title and a great finish for this great season."