[ WAHINE VOLLEYBALL ]
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Lily Kahumoku and younger sister Emily have been catching up on old times. Emily is in town for Senior Night.
Mission Possible
Lily Kahumoku says she can
do anything she wants, as long
as she puts her mind to it
URPRISING. Intriguing. Worldly. Optimistic.
Lily Kahumoku is many things. A study in contradictions, with interests as varied as her favorite foods -- sushi and paella -- and as different as the foreign languages in which she can converse -- Slovenian and Spanish.
Her vision can be as narrow as winning Hawaii's first women's volleyball title since 1987. It can be as wide as seeking an end to social injustice here and around the world.
And Kahumoku intends to get there, around the world that is. It's a goal to be accomplished in the next 10 years, along with a doctorate in college administration or psychology.
Where five years from now? The location would be Beijing, the host city for the 2008 Olympics, where Kahumoku envisions teaming with half-sister Jessica Alvarado in beach volleyball for Team USA.
In 20 years? Running for governor of Hawaii or being a trustee for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs aren't beyond the realm of possibilities.
Nothing, Kahumoku says, is impossible.
"If I'm motivated, nothing can stop me from getting what I want," she says.
It's a bold statement coming from the innately humble Rainbow Wahine senior hitter. But she isn't bragging, just being honest.
And she has a name to live up to, one 204 letters long. Her Hawaiian middle name --
Kapiolanimalamalama'ohawai'ineiku'uipo'okeali'iinulama'okapa'a-
keahemakua'okawikakealohapumehana'okailaamomiakonialapauilanui-
malamalama'okoulahanau'o'oeu'ilaniku'uleiku'umilimiliealoha-
nokomakouiakapualiliakekuinilapauila-- once put her in the Guinness Book of World Records.
It was given to her at birth, on June 24, 1981, in Charleston, S.C. It speaks of her genealogy and her destiny, of being a heavenly rainbow that shines over Hawaii and being the queen of the lightning bolt.
"How ironic is that, to be a Rainbow Wahine," Kahumoku says. "I think my name is very significant, ironically and metaphorically. Maybe it's my calling.
"That's the beauty of Hawaiian words. They have intentions."
STAR-BULLETIN / AUGUST 2003
Gayle Kahumoku knew her daughter was meant to live in Hawaii, although the family had lived everywhere except the islands during her husband's Air Force career. While in Lubbock, Texas, the decision was made to send Lily to board at Kamehameha Schools for her junior and senior years.
It wasn't an easy choice. But it was the right one, Gayle Kahumoku says.
"We knew that it would mean we wouldn't be able to share in all her games," Gayle said in a telephone call from the family home in Enterprise, Ala., "But Lily needed to be in Hawaii.
"And when she was being recruited for college, we were hoping it would be Nebraska or Colorado, since I have family there and it would be a one-day drive (from Texas). But Lily knew her heart was in Hawaii. If the shoe fits ... "
It was more that the slipper fit. She helped Kamehameha to state titles in 1997 and '98, earning two state player of the year awards.
Three matches into her freshman season, Kahumoku was starting on the left side for the Wahine and beginning an impressive resume: Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year (1999), WAC Player of the Year (2000), and two first-team All-America selections (2000, '02) sandwiching her decision to take a break from volleyball in 2001 for personal rejuvenation.
"Some players earn the right to miss something, to be late for something or, in her case, to take a year off," said Hawaii coach Dave Shoji, who allowed Kahumoku to miss four matches this season due to back spasms. "We're going to miss her a lot. I don't think people really appreciate how good she really is. She's been sharing the limelight with Kim (senior All-American Willoughby). If Kim wasn't here, Lily would be the highlight player, the one getting 5-6 kills a game.
"She's definitely her own person. Even on the court, she's not like most players. She has a vast repertoire of an offense. And her defensive numbers have really improved (a team-leading 3.40 dpg). She has all the shots."
She's a smart player and a smart student. Yesterday, Kahumoku was named to the Academic All-District VIII team, qualifying her for Academic All-American.
Chosen to the third team was Kealani Kimball of Loyola Marymount, a high school teammate of Kahumoku.
Her success hasn't surprised anyone, especially her father, Roscoe.
"She seemed to have a knack early on for athletics and I enjoyed watching her develop," said Roscoe Kahumoku. "She's a very gifted basketball player, but she gave that up to pursue volleyball. She really wanted to be a setter but ...
"She was tall, but I told her she had to play like a small girl, be fast, have fast feet. I'm very pleased with her success. For me, it wasn't hard to let her go to Hawaii and that's because I knew she'd had a big hanai family to watch over her. The only sadness is we're not there to watch in person."
Gayle Kahumoku arrived yesterday for tomorrow's sold-out "Senior Night" match against San Jose State. Daughter Emily has been here since Monday, catching up with her older sister.
"I'm so proud of Lily," said 19-year-old Emily. "She's doing so well. She's so fun-loving and I'm so excited to see her play in the arena.
"She keeps telling me, 'You don't understand what it's like in the arena.' I am ready to have an understanding."
For the first time this season, the Wahine are expecting a sellout at the Sheriff Center. Hawaii (26-1, 12-0 WAC) concludes the regular season tomorrow, honoring seniors Kahumoku, Willoughby, Lauren Duggins, Maja Gustin, Melissa Villaroman, Nohea Tano and Karin Lundqvist.
The Wahine head next week to the WAC tournament in Reno, Nev. They are hoping they will be home for the NCAA Tournament, including the first and second rounds, Dec. 4-7, and the predetermined regional at the Sheriff Center, Dec. 12-13.
Kahumoku is hoping her Christmas wish comes early, an NCAA title wrapped in Dallas on Dec. 20.
"Is this the senior year I expected?" she asked. "I'll tell you in December."
The plan is to go home to Alabama on Christmas, and see her youngest sister, Kelly, for the first time in a year. The 11-year-old misses Lily and has equally lofty ambitions.
"Maybe play volleyball for Hawaii and then Harvard Law School," said Kelly, who was the area Pass, Punt and Kick champion this year in football and is a 5-3 outside hitter in volleyball. "And I want to be tall enough to look down on Lily."
That's fine for Kahumoku. Aiming high runs in the family.
"What I want to do is take advantage of the position I'm in, the influence I can have, especially on young athletes," said Kahumoku, who is scheduled to graduate with a political science degree in May. "I am concerned with the apathy, the ignorance of problems and the lack of involvement by people to solve them.
"Will we have world peace in my lifetime? I think we'll see progress toward it."
Surprising. Intriguing. Worldly. Optimistic.
Always the optimist. Always Lily Kahumoku.
Notes: Kahumoku is second on the team in kills and digs. She needs 218 kills to pass Teee Williams (1,873) as No. 2 on the UH career kills list. ... Tomorrow's match with San Jose State sold out yesterday. It is the first sellout for the program since last year's match with Stanford. ... Part of the festivities will include the sale of bobblehead dolls featuring Kahumoku and Willoughby at the arena's Rain-Bow-Tique.
