DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Iolani senior Brent Kakesako tied up Ben Wilmore of Saint Louis during the 130-pound title match at the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships last Saturday. Kakesako, who lost in an extra period on a takedown, has been accepted at Harvard, but is waiting to hear from other schools.
Virtual sibling rivalry THE pressure of trying to live up to the exploits of two talented older brothers would be enough for any individual, but Brent Kakesako's ambition makes him uniquely qualified to match even his own lofty expectations.
Iolani's hard-working
Kakesako feeds off the pressure
to be like his older brothersBy Jack Danilewicz
Special to the Star-Bulletin"I have my own self-imposed rivalry," said Kakesako, who wrestles in the 130-pound weight class for Iolani. "I always feel like I have to do better. It's good, and it's bad. My parents sometimes think it's bad -- that I shouldn't try to be like them and that I should be my own person. It took me a while to understand that. But it also motivates me a lot of the time."
Be it in the classroom or on the wrestling mat, Kakesako favors the long, hard route over the shortcut any day.
"He's mentally tough," said Iolani coach Yoshi Honda, "and he's the hardest working kid I've ever seen in my 27 years in wrestling -- and that's since Day 1. Brent's not a great athlete, but as far as working hard and giving 100 percent every day, that's his strength. He's a team guy. The kids listen to him, and they respect him."
The hand-written goals that hang above the desk where Kakesako does his homework at night in his Manoa home offer a glimpse into his ambition. Above those goals is a message he takes to heart that reads: "The basic difference between a warrior and an ordinary man is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse."
Kakesako has already been accepted to Harvard, and he's being recruited by a host of schools. His commitment in the classroom would make him a sought-after addition to any university, but wrestling adds balance to his life, and he expects to continue competing in college.
"I'll have to see how it all plays out," he said of picking a college. "I'm looking for a school that's obviously strong academically. I'm leaning toward the East Coast. That would open me up to a new environment."
Kakesako was state champion last March in the 125-pound weight class and finished fifth (119) as a sophomore and second (103) as a freshman competing for the Raider varsity. He will attempt to defend his state crown March 14-15 at Blaisdell Arena, having picked up some added motivation in the wake of last weekend's loss to Ben Wilmore of Saint Louis in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships.
Wilmore is a friend and former teammate from the summer when the two traveled together to Fargo, N.D., to compete for Team Hawaii in the Junior Nationals.
Dealing with a loss -- he had lost only one other match this season-- is all part of the world of sports, of course. Kakesako has battled adversity before. He was sidelined for six weeks this season with a broken pinkie, but recovered in time for the stretch run of the regular season.
"It's junk to lose, but if you've given it your best, you have to be able to shake off a loss and put in the work the following week," he said.
Iolani captured the ILH championship last weekend, tallying 188.5 points to edge Saint Louis, which finished with 180.3.
"It was cool how we jelled as a team this weekend," Kakesako said. "We got a lot of points from guys who came back to win consolation matches after losing their first match. Credit should go to them. They made up for my loss. My coaches (Honda, Carl Schroers and Brandon Ito) and my teammates have helped me to become all that I am. They've guided me and helped me through the tough times and helped me to stay focused on the bigger picture."
Equally important in Kakesako's development were brothers Garrett and Ken. Ken, who is three years older, was state wrestling champion in 1999 and 2000, while Garrett, a half-brother, was a two-time state runner-up in 1990-91. Garrett is 12 years older and was Brent's first role model, bringing him into the wrestling environment and offering him a mix of tough love and unconditional support.
"When I was in kindergarten, I would go up to the wrestling room and bother Garrett and his teammates," Brent said. "They'd roll me up in the wrestling mat or tape me to the wall. I used to be a punk to them. My brothers have had a big impact on me. They never forced me to wrestle, but they encouraged me."
Schroers, then the Iolani head coach and today an assistant as well as the school's athletic director, used to ask Kakesako when he was going to try wrestling.
"I've been around it since I was a kid and I wasn't naturally talented in other sports, so it grew on me,"Kakesako said. "I saw that you didn't need a lot of natural talent. You just needed to be willing to work hard.
"When I hit seventh grade, I started to focus more on it. I hit full gear when I made the varsity as a freshman -- it was kind of a surprise -- I didn't expect to be on the team with my brother."
While his brothers served as living examples of what was possible on a wrestling mat, his parents, Gregg and Leatrice, kept him grounded.
"They've pushed me to stay on top of my academics more than my social activities," Kakesako said.
Kakesako's extra-curricular activities aren't restricted to wrestling. He is vice president of the senior class at Iolani and is a member of both the Okinawan Club and the prestigious I-Club. He is especially proud of becoming an Eagle Scout two years ago.
"In the offseason I like to go surfing. I do judo, too. I know when to focus and when to play," he said. "Wrestling has helped me to develop. Sometimes I come home hungry and tired, but I know I have to do my homework. I know I have to balance the two (academics and athletics)."
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