Victor Sees Weight Lifting As Key To Softball Readiness
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usAfter losing his entire infield from a year ago, it would be easy for Kailua softball coach Bernard Victor to focus on who isn’t in the fold this pre-season rather than who is there as he prepares his team for its upcoming Oahu Interscholastic Association schedule.
But the longtime Surfrider coach has gotten used to having to replace stellar athletes through the years.
“Most (of the returnees) were subs, but now they have a chance to step up - let’s hope they do,” said Victor.“We have a lot of work to do with the girls this year.”
Last season, in what was supposed to be something of a rebuilding year, after having lost East Player-of-the-Year Courtney Kessell to graduation the previous spring, Kailua hit its stride at regular season’s end, and went on to win its sixth OIA title of the Victor era.
Although the Surfriders made a quick exit from the state tournament (they were upset by Moanalua and Baldwin), their experience in the post-season can only help their cause this year. Kailua had finished second to Castle in the OIA East’s regular season with a 9-2 record before regrouping to win the overall OIA crown. The Surfriders had entered the state tournament as a No. 2 seed.
“We didn’t expect to win the OIA last year, but everything fell into place for us,” Victor said. “We’re excited to see what we can do again.”
While the infield will be finding its way early on, three key performers - pitcher/outfielders Ashley Hopfe and Krista Dumandan and catcher Brittany Tokunaga - are back after productive seasons in 2005-06.
Hopfe and Dumandan alternated on the mound last season and should combine to form one of the better pitching duos in the state this year.
“(Ashley) looks like she has better control over her pitches,” added Victor, who led Kailua to state titles in 1995,‘96,‘97 and 2003. “It wasn’t bad, but she has a little more confidence. (Krista) has been looking good. She mixes up her pitches a lot. She throws the change(up) and uses different speeds.”
The return of Tokunaga figures as a big boost to Kailua’s defense.
“She’s a good defensive catcher. She has a good arm. In a game with Mililani last year, she threw out one of their fastest kids (trying to steal a base), and they didn’t try to steal again. She has a decent bat. Hopefully, she’ll be one of our top hitters.
“That’s the big question mark right there,” he added on the subject of his team’s offensive output. “Defensively, we should be OK. Offensively, it remains to be seen.”
On that note, the Surfriders stepped up their weight training in the off-season, lifting twice a week as a team. Even during the peak of the regular season,Victor envisions the Surfriders lifting once a week.
“Hopefully, that has helped the girls,” he said. “We’ve tried to get the muscles going so they would-n’t be as sore (once the pre-season began). It’s not how much you can lift, but the repetitions.”
Kailua begins its pre-season Nov. 7, when it meets Maryknoll at 5 p.m. in the opening round of the 20-team Mililani Pre-Season Softball Tournament. The Surfriders will see plenty of stiff competition at the tournament with defending state champion Pearl City, Kamehameha and Kapa’a among the teams in their bracket.
The Surfriders begin OIA Eastern Division play the last week of November.
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