Charger Girls Growing Taller, Getting Better On VB Courts
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usPearl City head girls volleyball coach Stephanie Shigemasa has spent her share of seasons trying to compensate for her team’s lack of height. This time around, the Chargers won’t have to rely merely on their customary quickness.
“Our average is 5-8 or 5-9, and, to me, that’s big,” laughed Shigemasa, who is beginning her 16th season at the school. “It’s exciting to have players with the size to run things. Defensively, that should help us with our blocking and in our back row as well.”
In addition to size, Pearl City’s teams are increasingly coming in with volleyball experience, unlike in the early ‘90s when she took over the program and incoming freshman often arrived having never played organized volleyball.
For now, the Chargers are building around senior Reyna Acosta and juniors Tanisha Buford, Marie Fujii, Keani Passi and Tabytha Inong. All were key components a year ago when the team went 9-3 in the OIA Red West Conference and finished third behind Aiea and Mililani.
“Reyna has been awesome - she’s a hard worker, and she’s been trying to motivate the team and be a leader,“she said of Acosta, a Second Team All-Conference selection last season. “Tanisha is a powerful (outside) hitter, and she’s consistent.
“Marie is definitely a leader,” Shigemasa added. “We switched her from hitter to setter, and she’s accepted that role pretty well. Tabytha has the finesse shots, and she keeps balls in play. Her personality also keeps the team up. She makes us laugh. Keani is super athletic. She’s still new to the game, and she has a hunger about her.”
While their roster is top-heavy with juniors, the Chargers are nevertheless a seasoned team having played so many sophomores in 2008. With that in mind, Shigemasa is emphasizing her team’s mental preparation.
“Physically, we’re strong,” she said. “It’s the mental part where we need to be better. We have to be more consistent (in mind-set) and not have so many peaks and valleys.You have to be able to pick yourself back up after giving up a couple of points and not continue to go in that (downward) direction.
“Work ethic has been good. We had some double (practice) days, and they’ve been working hard and pushing themselves since the season started.”
Controlling a game with its offense is another key for the Chargers, in the coach’s view. “Ball-control (is key). Hopefully, our ball control keeps us in the game, and we have to be consistent. With some bigger girls, we’re hoping our offense will be strong.”
Pearl City opens its regular season next Tuesday at home versus Waianae. On Aug. 20 they visit Radford.
While only the first two games of the season, every game looms large on every team’s schedule in the West, Shigemasa said, noting that the top two teams receive first-round byes in the OIA playoffs.
“If anything, we’ll have to be ‘on’ to get past teams - the higher you end up, the better it is for you in the playoffs.You want that bye in the playoffs - it’s important.You don’t want to peak too early either, but you want to be playing well (throughout).”
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