Na Keiki Mau Loa: Providing inspiration, opportunities, and development through volleyball
by Michael Choe | Mar. 26, 2019
Every year, Hawaiian Electric Environmental Compliance Supervisor Barney Choy holds a collegiate coaching clinic on Oahu for high school volleyball players striving for recruitment. In 2018, 31 students received offers from colleges and universities. Four years ago, Barney held the first clinic to give back to the community through his passion for volleyball. Every year since then, attendance has grown for both players and coaches alike.
This year I was privileged to visit the Na Keiki Mau Loa 4th annual clinic at Manoa District Park Gym on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Walking across the parking lot, I could already hear the powerful slams echoing from the gym. The event was for young female athletes to showcase their skills and even though I never played volleyball, I could see that these girls were serious. Even the coaches were doing more than merely observing. The coaches had the opportunity to interact with players by running drills, offering advice and testing their endurance.
Head Clinic Coach Brian Doyon from the University of Central Florida explained the advantage of the coach-player interaction, which they normally wouldn’t get from other scouting events. “We’re bringing these players into our families,” Coach Brian said. “We want them to show us who they are — not just their skills but also their attitude and compatibility with our styles.”
While the courts were packed with ambitious players and attentive coaches, the sidelines were filled with supportive parents. Among them was Debbi Eleneki, the Honolulu Fire Department’s very first female battalion chief. I struck up a conversation with her at the clinic. Being a strong role model herself, she hopes her daughter will “acquire more leadership qualities and improve as an individual through the sport.” Like Debbi, there were many parents who had a desire for their children to get an experience beyond simply playing collegiate-level volleyball. They wanted their children to make new friends, push themselves and, of course, develop the grit that comes from playing a sport.
Some of the parents I spoke with hoped that their children develop qualities that can help them off the volleyball court. For example, self confidence that can be displayed during a job interview. Teamwork, commitment, and being adaptive to different situations were some traits that parents have seen their children learn. For some parents, the scholarships and opportunity to receive a higher education were at the top of their list. Both parents and athletes understand that volleyball can serve all those purposes. Na Keiki Mau Loa is much more than a volleyball clinic, it was truly a golden opportunity for these local athletes.
Michael Choe is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric Company.
