Oyama Takes Leading Role As Na Ali’i Bowling Captain
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usWhen Aiea High School won the Billy Tees girls state bowling title two years ago, Na Ali’i had more than just first-rate bowlers. They also had great veteran leadership. Among the younger members of that team, which also won a third straight OIA championship that fall, was freshman Darcie Oyama.
When Na Ali’i begin their 2008 season this week, Oyama will have come full circle. These days, she’s become something of a player-coach to her teammates, which include five first-year bowlers.
“Being a part of that championship team made her realize how you have to work as a team,” head bowling coach Isaac Avilla said. “She’s able to share that with the new bowlers. She’s our top bowler and our captain.
“She’s not your typical captain,” he added.“She takes more of a loving, caring approach instead of being intimidating. She’s down to earth and does-n’t put herself first.”
Individually, Oyama enjoyed a solid season in 2007, finishing third in the league. A week later, she finished 17th overall in the individual competition at the state bowling championships in Hilo.
“She can move up this year,” Avilla said. “We’ll count on her a lot as a team. She wants to help get us up to par for the season. That’s the type of captain she is.”
Aiea opens its OIA season this week with matchups against Mililani on Tuesday and Campbell on Thursday. All OIA West Division matches will take place at Schofield Bowling Alley at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Teams will only face one another once during the regular season, making every match critical to league standings. Avilla labels both Mililani and Campbell among the teams to beat in the league, making Na Ali’i's schedule easily one of the more demanding among area teams.
“The team to beat is Mililani - they won it last year - and Campbell, which has four bowlers back. Kapolei has returnees also. We’re young (overall), and we’re rebuilding.”
In addition to Oyama, Aiea will also benefit from the return of sophomore Ariel Pang, who enjoyed a solid 2007 on the varsity. She finished 41st at the state tournament.
“She’s quiet, but she knows the game very, very well,” Avilla said of Pang, whose sister Adrienne was a member of Aiea’s state title teams in 2004 and 2006. “She’s a team player and our second-best bowler. Last year, when we needed a fifth bowler to qualify (for the state tournament), she came through. I think, number one, the support she gets from her family is very important. Her grandparents come to every practice and match.”
First-year players round out the rest of Aiea’s seven-member roster, with one starting position still to be determined as of late last week.
“They’re still vying for the fifth spot,” he said. “Because we’re inconsistent, I’m trying to look more at technique than at our scores. I’d say we have four strong girls right now, and if Darcie and Ariel can bowl with high scores, we may have a chance against Mililani.”
The OIA’s season, which will see each team play a total of 10 matches, covers about a month - “more a sprint than a marathon,” as Avilla said. The top two teams from both the OIA’s Western and Eastern Divisions advance to the league’s post-season tournament Oct. 18 and earn automatic berths at the state championships, which will take place the following week.
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