Just For Kicks
LITTLE did Kathy Carey realize how much her life would change when a high school friend suggested Carey join her for a game of soccer. Soccer has foothold
on Carey’s life"I was 16, went out that first day and was immediately addicted. I haven't stopped playing since," said the Hawaii Wahine assistant coach.
Until that time, Carey had not participated in any organized sport. She described herself as a surf rat, then added her surfing career has suffered ever since.
Some may look at her as a pioneer or perhaps being ahead of her time, but the desire to play competitive soccer landed her on two male teams.
During her senior year at Punahou, she made the boys' varsity team. It was the year before the Interscholastic League of Honolulu added girls' soccer to it athletic program.
Carey moved on to Stanford, where there was no women's team. She played for the men's freshman team.
THEN word got out that the women at Cal wanted to play Stanford's women in soccer. The result was the birth of the Cardinal women's club team.
Of course, there was no funding and the women shared the men's game jerseys.
"Sometimes we played on the same day and you just hoped the guy whose uniform you shared didn't play because there wasn't always time to wash them," Carey said.
Stanford didn't go varsity until after Carey graduated.
After earning her master's in business administration from Santa Clara, she returned to Hawaii and continued playing for Leahi Soccer Club.
Bob Clague, her coach on the Punahou boys' team, tried to interest her in coaching, but Carey didn't think she would like it. But Clague persisted.
"I finally said yes so he would stop asking and look at me now," Carey said.
Her association with UH Wahine head coach Pinsoom Tenzing began when Tenzing coached Leahi. He coached and she played for Na Koa, the 1991 U.S. Women's Open Over 30 national champions.
Tenzing also encouraged Carey to take advantage of the national coaches licensing program. She is one of a few women to attain her A license.
For the C, B and A levels, that involved attending mainland instructional camps.
She coached at Punahou for 12 years, has coached AYSO teams and has been a Wahine assistant since the program went to a collegiate schedule in 1994.
FOR a person who did not think she would enjoy coaching, Carey discovered the satisfactions are many.
"I just love seeing people getting excited about the game. I really do," Carey said.
"I've coached kids from 5 years old up to college. They all have different things they are getting out of soccer. Sometimes it's the excitement of a little girl who realizes it's fun to go out and run around and be part of something like this.
"For the college athlete, it's learning in terms of the dedication it requires, the responsibility to the team and to themselves, the commitment required. Those are things people take with them to all areas of their life.
"It's so great that I'm fortunate enough to be able to do this all the time. Many people aren't that lucky."
Carey sees the U.S. Women's World Cup victory march having a subtle impact rather than creating a big leap.
"They are wonderful role models to have for girls who have a passion for anything, not just sports," she said. "They went to college, they're dedicated and they have families."
One missing satisfaction is a Western Athletic Conference title for the Wahine.