FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Tanisha Milca is hitting .552 with a slugging percentage of .793 for Kailua in the preseason.
Doing the Write Thing
Kailua's Tanisha Milca is as
serious about poetry as she is
playing softball for the Surfriders
On those occasions when Kailua's Tanisha Milca isn't excelling on the softball field, she has always been able to count on her hobby of writing poetry as a way of expressing herself.
"I'd like to write a poetry book or another book someday," she said.
Ask her about softball, however, and she's hard-pressed to put into perspective her love for the sport.
"I don't have the words to explain how I feel when I go out there," Milca said. "If I was to write about it (softball), maybe -- my whole world revolves around softball. I wake up every day wanting to go (to softball practice). It's all fun -- from hitting to defense to hanging out with my teammates. It's the fun time of my day."
Said all-state pitcher and teammate Courtney Kessell: "Of all of us, I'd say she's the most passionate about the game. She loves the game. She practices really hard at it. She's one of our leaders. She picks everyone up before games."
Over the past two seasons, it has been Kessell who has been the most recognized member of the Surfrider team. Last year, she went 13-0 while giving up only three runs all season in leading Kailua to the state softball title as well as a second consecutive Oahu Interscholastic Association championship. But while solid defense and pitching have been the trademarks of the Surfriders' program as of late, Kailua's offensive firepower should never be underestimated.
Milca hit .515 a year ago during her sophomore season and is currently batting .552 with a slugging percentage of .793 for the Surfriders, who are 15-3-1 through 19 preseason games.
"Ever since we've had the batting cage, I've tried to come early and work on my hitting," Milca said. "Even in the summer, on our off days, Courtney and I would come up to the school. I would catch for her, and then I'd hit. After school, I try to be first (in the batting cage). You can have the best defense in the world, but if you don't have good batting, you're not going to get anywhere."
Milca's commitment to batting goes back to when she first took up the sport at age 6, while living in San Diego.
"At my elementary school on the mainland, they gave us forms to sign up for a softball league and my dad (Angel) has been pushing me to play ever since," she said. "He would take me out and work with me until I got everything right. There were some days that I didn't want to go, but it was for the best that he pushed me to do this. It grew on me. It was year-round. There would be the summer (league), all-stars in the summer, and then a winter league. From winter league, right back into the spring."
By the time Milca's father was transferred to the Kaneohe Marine Base, which led the family to relocate to Hawaii, Tanisha was 12 and had already been playing softball for six years. She played basketball for Kailua last spring, but it marked the first time she ever played anything outside of softball.
"When I was in eighth grade, I became more serious (about softball)," says Milca, who competed for the Pearl City Pearls over the summer. "My dad said, 'Pretty soon colleges are going to start looking at you, so you have to buckle down.' I began to train and work harder. I'd go and run at the track on the (Kaneohe Marine) base by myself, or go and lift weights."
With encouragement from her father, who is a chief in the Navy, she spent countless hours on her swing.
"Hitting has been my strength," she said. "That's an area my dad really worked with me on. I still go to him -- even after games. He'll evaluate me and tells me how I did.
"My parents are my role models," she continued. "My dad pushes me. He's always there for me, and my mom (Cheryl), too. They attend every game I play, even if it's a tournament off-island."
As a freshman, Milca made the Kailua varsity, but elected to stay down with the junior varsity to receive more playing time. She was moved up to the varsity along with catcher Erin Guerrero in time for the OIA playoffs of that year and has been a regular ever since. Last year she played left field but shifted to shortstop recently to replace Rusty-Ann Borges, who was sidelined with a hand injury. When the Surfriders open their regular season at Kaiser next Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., Milca will likely be in center field.
"She's easy to coach -- she'll do just about anything you ask of her," Kailua coach Bernard Victor said. "And Tanisha has a good work ethic."
Added Milca: "I just think about all of the rewards that will come in the future."
