[ UH SOCCER ]
DeHay learns
to love again
Robyn deHay realized it was time for a change when her love of soccer waned considerably and started to affect the rest of her life.
When the support she expected from former Stanford women's soccer coach Andy Nelson did not materialize, deHay decided to come home and play her final collegiate season with the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine.
A three-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu first-team all star and ILH player of the year as a senior, deHay made recruiting trips to Portland, Harvard and Stanford.
"If the soccer route was the way I decided to go, I would have gone to Portland, but academics came first," said deHay. "I liked the weather and the atmosphere at Stanford and when I visited Harvard it was 40 degrees and all I had was a windbreaker. I knew I couldn't handle that kind of weather even though Boston is a great city."
Stanford also had the No. 1-rated civil engineering program in the country, the field deHay is majoring in with a focus on environmental engineering.
She played her first two seasons for the Cardinal, but was hindered her sophomore year when she sprained her right ankle three times. The injury was not the only frustration deHay encountered.
"The soccer aspect of my life started to encompass every aspect of school, not only physically but emotionally. It was affecting my school work and social life," said deHay. "My whole life at Stanford revolved around soccer with the time commitment and the experience was supposed to be great, but it was affecting me negatively. I felt I wasn't in the right situation."
DeHay decided to take a step back from soccer her junior year. There would be no training. She would redshirt and try to find out if she loved playing soccer as much as she thought she did. When she discussed her plan with Nelson, he did not agree with the decision and stated a number requirements deHay would have to meet to rejoin the team.
"When he didn't support my decision, I left his office and called the UH soccer office and told Pinsoom (UH coach Tenzing) that I was going to play soccer for UH next year," said deHay.
"Stepping back from soccer was good. It allowed me to see more important things than soccer. I got an internship with SSFM International where I continue to work as a student hire."
The courses deHay completes this semester at UH will allow her to graduate from Stanford in December. She has an early acceptance to the construction engineering management graduate school at Stanford.
"Bob Barry (UH assistant coach) had us write down team and individual goals before the season. For my individual goal I wrote to love the game of soccer again," said deHay.
"I truly do love playing again. I look forward to practice, not only to see my teammates, but to practice. It (the decision to play for UH) is turning out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."
DeHay has fit into the UH system with ease and has four assists and a goal in five matches. She was ecstatic when she had three assists against Bowling Green to tie Erin Quattromani's single-game mark. They had been teammates at Stanford.
"To just be on the same level with Erin on anything, I'll take that," said deHay. "Erin told me after she committed to play for UH, she could see my wheels spinning and knew something was going to happen."
The Rainbow Wahine program is the beneficiary of that happening.
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Classic
When: Today, Hawaii vs. Utah Valley State, 7 p.m.; Tomorrow, Hawaii vs. Morehead State, 5 p.m.
Where: Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park Stadium
TV: UH-Morehead State match live on KFVE-TV, Channel 5.
Radio: None.
Admission/Parking: Free.
Series record: Hawaii has not played either team before.
Note: After just 22 matches, sophomore striker Natasha Kai is second on the career lists for goals (20) and shots (136).
