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Just For Kicks
TRISHA Tateyama capped a brilliant soccer career for the Seattle University Redhawks by being named to the NAIA All-America third team. Well-deserved national
honors for TateyamaThis followed her selection as the NAIA Pacific Northwest Region Player of the Year.
She also was honored as the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference Player of the Year in a vote conducted by the conference coaches.
In addition, the computer science and mathematics major is a member of the PacWest Academic All-Conference team and an Academic All-American. She maintained a 3.90 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
The 5-foot-1 striker, who graduated from Pearl City in 1995, broke the Redhawks' all-time scoring record with 116 points. She finished her college career with 40 goals and 36 assists, second all-time on both Seattle lists.
"That's probably the highlight of my time here," Tateyama said. "I didn't expect to come close to breaking the scoring record."
In fact, she wasn't even considering playing soccer after high school. Her focus was on finding a small school to attend in the Pacific Northwest. She also considered attending Pacific Lutheran.
However, during her freshman year at Seattle, a friend convinced Tateyama to try out for the team. She did in her sophomore year and quickly became a starter.
"I was surprised. A couple of people got hurt, I got to play, got lucky and played pretty well," she said.
This past season Tateyama scored 20 goals, tying the single-season school record, and had nine assists. She led the Redhawks (16-5-1) to the regional final for the second consecutive season.
Tateyama scored eight game-winning goals in 1999 and had two hat tricks.
She rarely found her height to be a disadvantage, saying it was an advantage because it was easier to keep her balance.
Tateyama relied on quickness and accuracy rather than speed and power to put the ball in the back of the net.
She says her talented teammates made it possible for her to double her career goal output in her senior season.
"We had a very solid team and that made it easier," said Tateyama, who continues to play with two women's teams.
She now works as an engineer for B Square, testing software.
The Men's Island Soccer Organization will have a meeting tonight at 6 at the Evolution nightclub, 487 Ena Rd., for teams or players interested in joining the league.
For further information, call MISO president Sergio Bolioli at 521-4226 or 722-8889.
St. Francis is fielding its own varsity girls soccer team for the first time in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu this season.
Previously, players at the 400-student Manoa campus, had joined with players from La Pietra, Sacred Hearts and University to form a combined team.
"We were kind of nomads," St. Francis athletic director Tony Tyler said.
"We went straight to the top and have taken our lumps, but we have our own identity. The kids are happy and enjoying themselves."
Carl Myatt is the coach.
Kammie Aguada and Wendy Miyashiro, the only seniors on the 1999 University of Hawaii Wahine soccer team, have remained active in the sport.
They are coaching the Mid-Pacific junior varsity boys' team. Aguada is the head coach and Miyashiro assists.
"It's a learning experience," said Miyashiro.
