Kaulia Goes All Out For Basketball

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For Campbell High School’s Amber Kaulia, the so-called off-season is one for action rather than reflection.

“I always want to practice to get better when the season is over,“said Kaulia, a point guard for the Sabers’girls basketball team.“I really enjoy playing basketball.”

For their part, the Sabers finished second in the Oahu Interscholastic Association and fourth in the Hawaiian Airlines Division II State Basketball Tournament last month, so there is much to reflect on this off-season for Kaulia and her teammates.

“This year, we all got to feel what it’s like (to play in a state tournament),“said Kaulia.“We’re going to work even harder next year so we can go all the way.”

In basketball circles, Kaulia could easily be in the category of a late-bloomer - she had never played organized basketball until her freshman year at Campbell - but she packed a lot of basketball experience into her junior season, where her presence was a huge reason for the Sabers’ success.

“I had played at the park, but I’d never tried out for a team. My dad used to play, and he wanted me to join.When I first started, I was having a lot of trouble. I worked a lot that summer before my sophomore year with my dad to get better.

“I didn’t take it as seriously my freshman year. I was new to the game,” she added. “But that made me want to come back (the next season) and play better my sophomore year.”

Kaulia is currently playing in an outside softball league in addition to competing with the Campbell girls basketball team in the Roosevelt Summer League. During the winter, she played right field for the Sabers’ softball team, which also enjoyed a break-through season. Kaulia has also been active in volleyball in the past, but she admits basketball has been something of an all-consuming interest of late.

As a sophomore, Kaulia assumed the point guard duties for the Sabers’ junior varsity team where she had a solid season.Her level of play made a quantum leap between her junior and senior years.

“I’m competitive in everything I do - I think because of my father,” she said in reference to her work ethic.“I always want to be the best that I can in everything.”

Her aggressive play and quickness figured big in the Sabers’ uptempo approach.

“She doesn’t score a lot, but she makes the team go,“said Campbell coach Nathan Macadangdang.“We don’t run as smoothly without her. She’s reliable.She gives us good leadership on the floor, good ball-handling and decision-making.”

She attributes her improvement to long hours spent at the Community Park in Ewa, where she’s a regular fixture. Because softball practice is held at the same site, she often joins relatives on the basketball court when she’s finished with softball.

While Kaulia was the catalyst for Campbell during its OIA run, an ankle injury forced her to miss the Sabers’ first two games. That gave her all the more incentive to help lead Campbell back to the state tournament next season.

“We really want it (a state title),” she said.“It will be our last year (for seniors), so that’s pretty much our goal.”