Chaminade University of Honolulu

Athletics

Athletics Gala Raises Funds for Student-Athletes

Chaminade University’s 11th Annual Intercollegiate Athletics Gala, held on March 14 at the Ala Moana Hotel, raised $167,000 to support the school’s 10 sports programs and 140 student-athletes that compete in the NCAA Division II and Pacific West Conference.

It was a night dedicated to honoring student-athletes, thanking sponsors and growing the Silversword Hall of Fame with two new inductees.

Recognized at the gala as the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees were alumna Martha B. Smith and former Chaminade Women’s Volleyball coach, Glennie Adams.

Martha B. Smith

Smith graduated from Chaminade with her Master’s in Business Administration in 1991 and is currently the CEO for Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. She sits on the Chaminade University Board of Regents, is an Athletic Booster Club member and helped to establish Hawaii Pacific Health as the “Official Healthcare Partner of Chaminade University Athletics” last year, which ensures that all student-athletes are well cared for.

Adams is known for her time at Chaminade as the winningest head coach of women’s volleyball, with 176 wins. In her 15 years at the university, she also held the titles of Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Women’s Administrator. She now serves as the director of athletics at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama and will go down in history for being the school’s first female director of athletics.

Glennie Adams

Among the 360 attendees were sponsors from Hawaii Pacific Health, First Hawaiian Bank, the Star Advertiser and many more. The funds raised go directly toward Chaminade’s athletics program to help student-athletes thrive. Celebrated at this year’s gala was the construction of the new Silversword Training Center and Locker rooms, which would not have been possible without the help of generous donors.

In addition to ushering Smith and Adams into the Hall of Fame, the gala program included a student performance by Chaminade’s Hawaiian Club, dinner, musical entertainment, a video presentation on Chaminade Athletics, remarks by university president Lynn Babington and a student-athlete speech made by Antonio Bonnetty.

Senior student Bonnetty, who has been on the men’s cross country team since his sophomore year and serves as student government president, singled out cross country head coach Shadrack Nabea as a source of support throughout his athletic career and as someone who believed in him when he didn’t believe in himself.

“I have learned skills from [Nabea] and others in Chaminade and athletics which I employ today,” Bonnetty said. “I have learned how to believe in myself, how to believe I was better than a C average and make A’s, how to not be crippled by my weakness and see them as strengths, and how not just to live, but thrive. I have come this far because of my family, athletics and Chaminade.”


Women’s Soccer Team Spends Valentine’s Day with Veterans

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than by showing some gratitude and care for those who have served our country? Several of our women’s soccer team members did just that.

Students Cierra Toledo-Muragin, Rachel Arakawa and Randi Fontes spent their Valentine’s Day visiting with hospitalized veterans at the Tripler Army Medical Center.

“My grandpa is a veteran and I know how much he enjoys talking about his life when he was in the army,” says Toledo-Muragin, a third-year nursing student from Hilo. “I really enjoyed spending Valentine’s Day with veterans who do not have any family here.”

The students first met with Carlos Santana, a community liaison from Mazie Hirono’s Office, who taught them about the importance of veterans in our community. They then spent time visiting with medics from Desert Storm and Vietnam who shared practical information and a wealth of stories.

“They were so nice and supportive and emphasized the importance of getting an education,” says Toledo-Muragin. “They were proud of us for being student-athletes and motivated us to keep going and to accomplish our goals.”

They Put the Student in Student-Athlete

Chaminade University placed a record-93 Silverswords on the Academic All-Pacific West Conference Team, the conference announced Monday.

It’s the second straight year and the third time in the last four that Chaminade has broken its record of academic all-conference honorees. All 10 of the department’s athletic teams had at least 57 percent of their rosters attain Academic All-PacWest honors.

For large roster sports (11 or more student-athletes), women’s volleyball placed 13 of its 14 rostered players eligible for academic all-conference kudos on the team while women’s soccer had 18 of its 23 eligible players make the list.

For small roster sports (10 or less), women’s cross country attained perfection. All six of their runners who were eligible for academic all-conference honors made the list. Men’s cross country (six on the roster), and men’s golf (6) had all but one qualify.

A total of 1,804 student-athletes in the conference were named Academic All-PacWest, breaking the conference record set last year.

To be recognized as Academic All-PacWest, student-athletes must have a minimum career grade point average of 3.00, have completed two semesters at their current institution and competed in at least one regular season game or competition. Chaminade competes in 10 of the conference’s 15 sponsored sports.

Congratulations to all our student-athletes who was named to the Academic All-Pacific West Conference Team!

Groundbreaking Ceremony for New State of the Art Training Center and Locker Rooms

On Friday, April 27 over 100 attendees, including faculty, staff, students, and donors, gathered together at the Mauka of McCabe Gym to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Silversword Athletic Training Center and Locker Rooms. This groundbreaking represents the beginning of the second and final phase of facility enhancements to the university’s athletics program.

Whether it is starting practice before sunrise or staying at games late into the night, student athletes excel in commitment, dedication and hard work. Student athletes must keep up on their studies and maintain their fitness levels, all while balancing a travel schedule for away games. Student athletes deserve safe facilities which help them not only meet, but excel their goals. The new Silversword Athletic Training Center and Locker Rooms will provide student athletes and visiting teams with a state of the art facility for training, playing and recovering.

During the groundbreaking ceremony men’s soccer student athlete, Avinash Singh, shared his thoughts on and appreciation for the new facility as well as Chaminade’s Athletics department, “I thank you for your support. I know that we might not always see the many ways that you cheer us on, but this locker room is more than just a building. It is a physical display of your dedication to us.”

The new Silversword Athletics Training Center and Locker Rooms will provide future students with a new and safe place to store their things, prepare for class after practice, train, and play. It will allow the Chaminade University Athletics Department to continue to grow and flourish.

Home to 10 NCAA athletic teams and over 140 student-athletes, Chaminade prides itself on an outstanding athletic department and understands the value of athletics beyond just the physical.

“Intercollegiate athletics is an important component of the student experience at Chaminade,” said President Dr. Lynn Babington during the groundbreaking ceremony. “As a Marianist, Catholic institution, we value the development of the whole person and athletics creates the opportunity for our students to not only excel in sports, but learn teamwork and leadership and provide school spirit to the campus.”

The new 6,500-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in Spring 2019.

Watch the KITV News coverage.

 
  • Athletics Training Center and Locker Rooms floor plan
  • Groundbreaking Ceremony for New State of the Art Training Center and Locker Rooms

Athletics Gala Celebrates its 10th Year

Chaminade University’s Annual Intercollegiate Athletics Gala hit its decade year on March 15 and was a night 600 attendees won’t soon forget. Family, friends, colleagues, student-athletes and university supporters gathered at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel to honor the 2018 Silversword Hall of Fame inductees – Dr. Edison H. Miyawaki and Bill Villa.

In the hotel’s Hawaii Ballroom, guests could be heard chatting with enthusiasm before the program started. Emcee Felipe Ojastro welcomed guests and started the high-spirited program by introducing the honorees. The crowd gave a standing ovation as each made his way to the stage.

Following the initial introductions and Hawaiian ‘oli “He Mele No Kaminaka,” the evening’s program began with dinner and entertainment. Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington gave remarks congratulating the two honorees as well as thanking guests for their continuous support of Chaminade and its athletics program. Women’s softball’s Kaitlin Kim ’18 also took the stage sharing her experiences as a student-athlete and how generous contributors help provide a word-class education with a robust athletics experience.

Next was the main event, the induction of new members into the Silversword Hall of Fame: Dr. Edison Miyawaki and Bill Villa.

Dr. Edison K. Miyawaki, Jr. and Kawika Villa introduced their fathers to those in attendance. Both sons shared special memories of their fathers and how their love for sports and Chaminade has help build the athletics program to where it is today.

Dr. Miyawaki – known as “Doc” – is the driving force behind the Intercollegiate Athletic Gala. Under his direction, he created the event in 2008 when he joined Chaminade’s Board of Regents. Since then, the event has raised over $1.5 million for student-athletes and programming. Dr. Miyawaki is the president of Pali Corp. and was the first Japanese-American to become part owner of an NFL team. He’s put the same energy and commitment into philanthropy as his career, establishing scholarships for young athletes attending NFL training camps and leading education-centered capital projects.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Villa grew up a multi-sport athlete. He played for Kamehameha Schools Kapālama and the University of Hawaii. His love of sports led him to become the athletics director at Assets School and then Mid-Pacific Institute. In 2008, he was named the first full-time director of athletics at Chaminade. He’s worked tirelessly to expand the program, improve and modernize facilities, recruit top-notch coaching, training and leadership staff and launch the annual Chaminade Golf Tournament athletics scholarship fundraiser.

The athletics gala program concluded with the honorees being presented a Pahi Kaua Sword, crafted from the bill of a swordfish by alumnus Umi Kai ’73, and  Dr. Miyawaki and Villa both expressing their gratitude.

Dr. Miyawaki thanked everyone who has supported Chaminade over the years as well as those who helped make the Athletics Gala a success saying he could not be more proud of what the event has accomplished over the past decade. Crediting his father for instilling values of hard work and determination, Dr. Miyawaki enjoys believing in something that no one else believes can be done. He recognized his family, his son who along with his wife and granddaughter traveled from Missouri to celebrate his induction, and closed with saying that Chaminade is a special place because of the people.

Like Dr. Miyawaki, Villa appreciates the many opportunities given to him along his career path. He  urged student-athletes to put in the hard work and earn from experiences to thrive in the community. “You just need a chance like I was given to succeed, and with that chance amazing things can happen,” he said. Villa ended by thanking Dr. Miyawaki for being a “visionary and someone he will forever cherish as a friend.”

The annual Athletics Gala is instrumental to the success of Chaminade’s athletics program and its student-athletes. This year’s event set a new contribution record, raising over $300,000, supporting its 10 sports programs and over 140 student-athletes.

Building Great Athletes Start With Great Attitude and Mental Toughness

Success in athletics is as much about the brain as it is about the body.

And sometimes, the body takes a back seat.

That was the message sports psychology consultant and life skills coach Jim Skelton had for student-athletes and their coaches during two, three-hour presentations last month.

Skelton, highly-regarded in the field, has worked with a long list of collegiate and professional teams — from the Cleveland Indians to California State University — and addressed the Chaminade community as it bolsters athletics programming and facilities.

Jim SkeltonDuring Skelton’s Feb. 14 talk with student-athletes, Skelton delved into everything from championship culture to developing an “amazing attitude” to sticking to habits of excellence.

Nina Torio, who plays volleyball for the Silverswords, said she walked away from the presentation with a new appreciation for mental fitness in sports.

Torio, a business administration major on track to graduate in 2020, said she was especially intrigued by Skelton’s description of the “process” of building great athletes and teams.

Her takeaway: Successful athletes aren’t born — they’re made (thanks to lots of practice).

“The message that Jim talked about that resonated in me the most was the importance of the mental game,” she said. “Sometimes, the biggest battle and obstacle can be within ourselves — negative thoughts, doubts, an ‘I can’t do this’ mentality.’”

But Skelton, she said, encouraged attendees to establish — and practice maintaining — positive mental routines and habits.

“If we practice positive thinking and a ‘bounce back’ attitude, nothing can stop us from reaching the goals we set for ourselves,” Torio said, adding that Skelton’s points on the importance of character (and character building) in sports weren’t lost on her, either.

“Many of the things we learn from our respective sports can translate to the real world,” she said. “Teamwork, a strong mindset, and culture building are incredible life skills and qualities. It is up to me to shift from old habits and create a new standard of thinking and focus.”

While Skelton has worked with top collegiate and professional teams, he’s quick to point out that his interest in athletics has never simply been about elite sports. Rather, his passion lies in helping those from all different backgrounds and skill levels get real joy from competition.

One of his favorite quotes, after all, is from Nelson Mandela: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

Kaitlin Kim, an elementary education student set to graduate in December, can appreciate that.

During Skelton’s student-athlete session, she said, she got some new tools to help her get through particularly stressful games or plays — including a handy breathing exercise — and a new understanding of when to push hard and when to let things go.

She plays softball for Chaminade.

And that’s a sport, she said, that’s “95 percent mental and 5 percent physical.”

“I liked (Skelton’s message) that we can control things that are in our control,” Kim said, “and to not get upset over things that are not in our control.”

Things, she added (a bit mischievously), like umpire strike zones and questionable calls.