GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
John Uyechi, a volunteer groundskeeper at Waianae's baseball field, has two sons pitching for the Seariders -- Clayton, a sophomore, and Calvin, a senior.
Brothers are 1-2
in rotationWaianae's Calvin and
Clayton Uyechi have different
styles, but similar results
By Jack Danilewicz THE most spirited rivalries are always fueled by talk. With that in mind, Calvin Uyechi wants it known that he holds a decided edge over younger brother Clayton in basketball, among other activities.
Special to the Star-Bulletin"He (Clayton) might tell you he's better than me, but it's a lie," said Calvin, flashing a wide grin. "It's always me (who wins)."
For his part, Clayton holds the upper hand in football.
The friendly competition between the two goes on and on. And we're only talking about video games here.
"I love competing," said Calvin. "I don't like to lose. If I can find a way to cheat -- even in video games -- I'm going to do it."
It should come as no surprise then that their competitive fire has translated into good things for the Waianae baseball program. As the top two pitchers in the rotation, they are both 2-1 this season and the Seariders are 5-2 under coach Kekoa Kaluhiokalani heading into today's game at Leilehua.
"On the field, he's more of a teammate than a brother," said Calvin. "We back each other up 100 percent. We've been having a pretty good time out here trying to outpitch each other. It keeps us both motivated and that's cool."
But to hear them tell it, their respective won-loss records are about all the Uyechi brothers have in common.
Calvin's emotions are close to the surface.
"I get angry a lot, to be honest, but when I'm pitching, that's a good thing," said Calvin, a senior. "You have to have that attitude of you (the batter) are going to go down."
His love of music -- especially rock -- helps him to recharge his batteries and is even incorporated into his pregame ritual.
"I have my moments when I have to get away (and regroup)," he said. "I love listening to rock music. I'll turn up the computer real loud and close the doors to my room. If I know I'm pitching that day, I'll listen to some Norah Jones -- it calms me down. And right before I go on the field, I'll listen to some really hard (rock) to get the blood flowing."
Conversely, no key is too low for Clayton, who is reserved.
"He (Calvin) is more talkative than I am, and he's a little more competitive because he's older," said Clayton, a sophomore. "He's pretty smart in the classroom and I'm pretty average ... about 3.0 (GPA)."
That Clayton is competing at all this spring is a noteworthy achievement in itself. On Feb. 8, 2002, the day before Waianae held its baseball tryouts, he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident that left his jaw fractured in three places. He also suffered a broken leg and a broken arm.
"It was very traumatic for all of us," said his mom, Tracie. "He was in the hospital for 10 days and he was out of school for about three months. He had physical therapy and home tutoring through the state. He had lost 12 pounds. His jaw was wired and he couldn't eat. He was skin and bones. There was a point where he just wanted to give up. But all of a sudden, his attitude turned around. For him to be able to come back and play this year with his brother has made us very proud of him. We had a tough year last year."
CLAYTON MISSED the junior varsity regular season, but made a miraculous return to pitch in the OIA playoffs. He was also selected to play on a Hawaii traveling all-star team that competed in Japan last year.
"That brought up his confidence level going into the season," said Tracie. "He wanted to get onto the field so bad."
So laid back is Clayton that he mentions his horrific accident almost in passing.
Calvin was with his brother when the accident occurred. Ultimately, the experience brought the pair closer together. Indeed, their usual sparring comes by way of an underlying affection between the two.
"The accident was a wake-up call for all of us," said Tracie.
"Now they're back to normal -- they're fighting," said their father, John Uyechi. "When that first happened, they were buddies."
Like his wife, John grew up in Hawaii Kai. His own athletic outlet was surfing, although he has become such a student of baseball in recent years that he now serves as an assistant coach for Waianae's JV team during Searider practices.
"Clayton is real natural -- he's more fluid," said John, comparing the two as pitchers. "Calvin's more mechanical, like a machine."
John also takes care of Waianae's playing field, which is a source of great pride within the program. Behind home plate is a large 'W' Uyechi carved out of the neatly manicured lawn.
As nice as the playing field is, however, Calvin and Clayton are John's main contributions to the Searider program.
Although baseball has been a welcome pastime for the family, academics have always been a point of emphasis in the Uyechi household. Calvin, who is a member of the National Honor Society, is ranked seventh in his class and will attend Creighton University next fall in hopes of becoming a pharmacist. With two full seasons of high school eligibility remaining, Clayton talks of eventually earning a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Hawaii. Both boys credit their parents for helping them remain focused.
"I'm the driving factor on the education, and the father can take credit for the baseball," Tracie said with a laugh.
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