Ka’ili Smith Gives New Meaning To ‘Throws Like A Girl’

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Ka’ili Smith gets ready ‘er rip. Photo by Nathalie Walker, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Back when Ka’ili Smith was one of few girls playing among the boys in Little League, she could always count on the opposition to add a little extra fuel to her already ultra-competitive mind-set.

“When they first saw me, they were kind of laughing,“said Smith, who recently wrapped up a stellar four-year softball career at Kapolei. “But they were pretty quiet after I struck them out. Actually, I always liked playing against the boys; they challenged me and pushed me to do better.”

Not that Smith (whose full first name is Ka’ilihiwa) has ever needed any motivation from the outside. Since she began playing sports at age 5, she’s always had a zest for winning.

“When I’m losing, I’m not having a very good time,” she said. “I love to win, and I hate losing.”

Added her father, Kalani Smith: “She’s fortunate to have a lot of physical attributes, but if anything separates her from others, it’s her burning passion for the game.”

Smith’s time in Little League seems all the more well-spent in retrospect as she prepares to enroll at Mississippi State on a softball scholarship in August.

Her transition to softball as a freshman at Kapolei was smooth in large part because of her time on the baseball diamond, and she soon found herself among the best softball players in the state.

And then there was volleyball. Smith’s mother, Cynthia, was a volleyball player for Hawaii Pacific in the ‘80s and had visions of her daughter following suit. Her father played basketball, football and baseball at Damien and had spent countless hours in the family’s back yard fine-tuning her baseball skills.As with all of his children, he coached her at an early age.

“I was just an average (baseball) player at first, but I told my dad I wanted to be the best and he took the extra time with me,“Smith said. ” He’s always pushed me to be better.”

For Smith, a game plan for college began to take shape two years ago when Kapolei coach Tony Saffery took her to Denver, Colo., as part of his Pearls Hawaii traveling all-star team to compete in the nationally known Fireworks Tournament. A prominent gathering place for college recruiters,Smith hit a home run there and several college coaches took note, including Mississippi associate head coach Annie Smith.(Ka’ili Smith will again compete for Pearls Hawaii at the Fireworks Tournament this summer.)

Smith considered Starkville, Miss., too far away, but if she wasn’t sold on them, they were sold on her.Although she visited Fresno State two weeks later,her trip to MSU had left a lasting impression.

“They said to just come and visit, and when I got there they welcomed me with open arms - it felt like home,“Smith said of her official visit to MSU.An added bonus in choosing MSU is that associate head coach

Annie Smith is also on the international Olympic coaching staff, paving the way for an eventual tryout with the U.S. Team.

Smith is the second oldest of five children and the oldest daughter in a close-knit family.She was born premature and weighed in at only 3 pounds and 14 ounces. An identical twin sister named Ha’aheorose passed away at an early age.

“There might have been two of her,” said Cynthia Smith, who noted that her uncles, Richard and David Mendez, are also identical twins. Both were football standouts at Farrington in the ‘50s.

The family’s athletic focus is now squarely on Ka’ili. Because Cynthia Smith works for United Airlines, trips to Mississippi will be made easier. Mississippi State also will take part in a softball tournament at UH next May, making for something of a homecoming for the family.

“We’re really stoked,” Kalani Smith said. “It’s always been our desire to create opportunities for our kids through athletics.”