Kapolei Swimmer Hagi Speeds Through OIA
By Jack Danilewicz
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Like that of his teammates, Jayson Hagi’s swimming schedule is unrelenting, but the Kapolei High senior wouldn’t have it any other way. Last week as his prep eligibility clock continued to tick toward its ending point, Hagi was in peak form.
He recently won both the 200 and 500 free-style individual championships at the OIA finals and was hoping for similar results at the State Swim Meet over the weekend.
“After all of the hard work and the morning practices and weekend practices, it’s nice to showcase what you’ve worked for,” Hagi said. “The whole season we’ve trained hard. Now we’re tapering off, and we’re ready.”
Back to that schedule. Four days a week, including Saturdays, Hagi is up at 5:30 a.m. and at the Kapolei Recreational Center pool promptly at 6 for practice, which lasts until 7:10. From there it is off to Kapolei High School for practice.
“It’s outdoors and always freezing. I’ve been doing it for nine years now, so I’m used to it.”
For a time, his parents, Derrick and Renee Hagi, had to get used to it as well. “I think they’re happy now that I have my license and can drive myself,” he said. “I got it at the beginning of my junior year. I don’t think they’d want to be waking up at that hour,” he added with amusement.
Hagi’s family, in fact, has played a big role in his development in competitive swimming. He found his way to the sport by way of sister Nicole, who is a former standout on the Kapolei girls’ swim team and water polo team, and whose talents currently belong to Siena College in Loudonville, NY. The pair talk at least once a week.
“I’ve always been swimming,” Jayson said.“I got into it because of my sister. My dad used to take her, and I just went along with them. She kind of inspired me. I always would want to try to race her and beat her. The events she swims also are the events that I swim.”
The goal of closing out his prep career with an individual state title has helped fuel Hagi’s preparation this season. The Kapolei swim team also practices five days a week after school (4:30 to 7 p.m.) at the Hope Chapel pool at Barbers Point. As a junior last Valentine’s Day, Hagi finished second in the state in both the 200 and 500. As a sophomore in February of 2008, he finished second in the 500 overall and fourth in the 200.
“Especially since it is my senior year, I want to go out with a win,” he said late last week on the eve of the state meet, which began with Friday’s preliminaries and culminated on the finals on Saturday.“The OIA is just the public schools. States includes the entire Island.”
While he has been tapering off for states - as is the custom late in the season - Kapolei coach Dexter Lee has kept the blow torch on him as far as reaching his full potential. “He sets challenges for me,” Hagi said of Lee, who also is Kapolei’s head girls water polo coach. “Since there’s no one at my level (at Kapolei), he pushes me because he knows what I am capable of. He’ll give them one set and give me another set. He motivates me to go faster.”
Asked if he is driven by an inner competitiveness, Hagi answers in the affirmative. “I think I am - when it comes to school and even in practice.” He hopes to swim for University of Hawaii next year.
When practice is over, Hagi finds time to visit with friends and his girlfriend, Molly McGuire, who is a competitive swimmer and water polo player at Kapolei.
As a team, Hagi and Kapolei finished second in the Red West behind Mililani this season and fourth in the OIA overall.
“We’re a pretty close team,” he said. “We usually get together after meets. I’m also the team captain, so I usually try to give them a motivational speech to get them pumped.”
As for those early-morning workouts? “I can take a little break next week,” he said, “but then it’s back to club swimming (with Hawaii Swim Club), which is mostly year-round.”
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