Comments on: Tuesday checkin: Kahakai cleared to play

By: heluhelu

heluhelu — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 02:40:38 +0000

October 8, 2014 at 10:38 am I don’t think of it as Doubting Dave but fans learning, as Shoji is, who & what the Wahine have when the points count. Shoji frequently admits player eval is a process. He didn’t expect Greeley to come along so fast. He probably didn’t anticipate Long’s struggle w/confidence (hope she comes around; too much vball exp not to help the Wahine somehow). I see and agree w/your point about 2nd-guessing everything. But longtime WVB fans probably see most of the same things Shoji does. They just say it before Shoji can since coaches don’t have time to comment/tweet every thought going thru their heads.

By: toki wa ima

toki wa ima — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 21:55:04 +0000

15 is an odd number, which might require an extra hotel room (and airline tickets) if it’s just 2 athletes to a room.

By: tikijoe

tikijoe — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 20:38:04 +0000

Discussing is one thing, but it’s funny how some of you question Shoji’s coaching on who should be playing, going, starting, stopping…. imagine how many wins he would have if he actually made the “right” decisions. Right? LOL

By: Cindy Luis

Cindy Luis — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:36:39 +0000

31. that he does, probably goes back to the early days when they had no money and players did their own laundry.

By: Cindy Luis

Cindy Luis — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:35:36 +0000

32. I suppose. He played mostly freshmen in 84, because he had to, with Ahuna, Eagye, Eleneki, Jessie, etc.

By: setaone

setaone — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 17:54:25 +0000

A lot has been said of Dave’s choices at the start of the season, in playing veterans versus rookies. I think he has learned from that Willoughby error in playing her on the right and not the left her freshman season. Yes, there are always players coming in who are talented, but when Dave has had a highly talented freshman, since after Willoughby’s freshman year, he has played them. Kamanao, Danielson, Taylor all started as freshman. Other than those three, Hawaii hasn’t had an impact recruit.

By: heluhelu

heluhelu — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:56:36 +0000

kimo/blunite: Tend to agree w/your overall assessment of Kahakai. Her first match was amazing & she’s had several good moments since. Yet, if you charts ALL player touches, are Savannah’s touches net-positive? Like someone said, she’s a skolly player indisputably more athletic than Anderson, Guinasso or Ponce. So Kahakai *can* do more volleyball things, like hit. However, she’s not on the court to hit. As a *DS*, the essential priorities are: is she really quickest to the ball? Have the fastest hands? The best passer of the four? Else make her a hitter & compete w/Passi/Long for that rotation. Hawaii’s margin of error is too small — especially on the road — to start a DS who hits better than she passes.

By: LC

LC — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:48:07 +0000

The travel squad is 15 according to the Big West but we only take 14 for financial reasons but I don’t believe it’s a UH rule might be more of a Dave rule who runs a tight ship on program spending.

By: Maverick

Maverick — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:47:06 +0000

Sorry, Huff will be a junior.

By: Maverick

Maverick — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:44:37 +0000

28. If history is any indication, it is likely that Castillo and Granato will be backups and Mitchem will be fighting for the second middle position with Maglio. Dave tends to favor the veterans over freshmen (even with high-level recruits like Willoughby)–and you never know who freshmen/junior college transfers will perform at the D1 level. Of the three coming in, I think Mitchem has the best chance of playing significant minutes. Greeley, Taylor and Oleavao will be solidly in the OH/Opp positions (assuming Olevao doesn’t go on a mission–that would open one position up), the setters are established, and then the only decision is who works on the defensive/passing end with Kahakai. While a 6-2 would be intriguing, not clear it will happen–requires improvement in Koelsch’s play and Dave going beyond his comfort zone to use the system (I am not sure he has ever used a true 6-2).

I am really interested in the team two years from now (2016-17)–seniors will be Taylor, Higgins, Mitchem, Huff; juniors will be Koelsch, Greeley, Kahakai, Maglio; hopefully a super sophomore in Castillo and perhaps Granato (I know I’m missing some folks). Plus the current Stanford superclass will have graduated (although Penn State’s superclass will be juniors). So this experienced team may have a good shot at the final four.