Yoshida Takes Up Leadership Role On Surfrider Girls Soccer Team
By Jack Danilewicz
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Melanie Yoshida will add another role to her list of many for the Kailua girls soccer team this fall - that of Coach on the Field.
“She knows our system forward and backward, and she knows the kind of leadership it takes with a young team,” coach Wil Kimura said of the senior mid-fielder. “She’s vocal - always in a positive way - and she’s the key to our team. She’s a play-maker. Good leaders are hard to find. There are good players, but it’s hard to find one with the combination (of both skill and leadership).”
Yoshida’s steady play and wealth of experience could figure big for the Surfriders, who are trying to re-assert themselves following the first losing season in Kimura’s 16-year tenure. More than anything, youth helped send them to an 0-9-3 season in the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s East, with several freshmen pressed into action last season.
“A bulk of our team were (freshmen), and it’s hard to come in right away (and play varsity),” said Kimura, who has taken Kailua to the state tournament nine times.“In Club, they are usually playing kids their own age. Now, you might have a 14-year-old playing someone who is 17 or 18. Usually the top teams, especially Mililani and Pearl City, are playing mostly juniors and seniors. It (varsity soccer) is a lot faster and a lot rougher.”
The by-product of Kailua playing a younger lineup last year means a young, but not necessarily inexperienced, unit this winter.
“A lot of them who are still young got a lot of playing time last year, so we’re encouraged. We’ve seen improvement all around, and their year of seasoning has showed (in preseason practice).”
Kimura will also build around veterans Liane Harada and Keriane Kubota. Both are mid-fielders, with Harada also logging time at a forward spot.
“Liane has been a part-time starter in the past, and she’s born-leader-type like Melanie,” Kimura said. “She’s small, but she’s very, very tough, and she has good skills. Keriane is about the same size - only 5-1 - and has a strong leg and good skills.”
With its veterans at the mid-field positions, Kailua hopes to improve on last year’s offensive output when it tallied just four goals in a 12-game regular season.
“We’re encouraged - we have some play-makers there,” said Kimura, “and we’re a balanced team this year. We don’t have a lot of depth, but if we don’t have a lot of injuries, we’ll be competitive.”
Indeed, the Surfriders already suffered a huge loss when projected starting goalkeeper Pumehanaaloha KanoaDoctorello was lost for the season to a knee injury. KanoaDoctorello had been a three-year starter and a key player on their state tournament teams in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
Kimura expects a pair of juniors to rotate in net early on this season. “Both were on the junior varsity last year, and they’re doing quite well. We’re encouraged.”
Kailua, which has a bye this weekend when OIA East play begins, will travel to the Big Island instead to take part in the Hawaii Prep Pre-Season Soccer Tournament. The Surfriders open Thursday with King Keaulike; opponents for Friday and Saturday will be determined by the outcome of that game. The tournament field also features Hilo, Maui Mid-Pacific and Roosevelt, among others.
“The trip should help us a lot - it’s why we’re going,” Kimura said, referring to team-bonding. “We’re not as concerned with wins and losses. We’re going to rotate a lot of people in and out and hope to stay healthy.”
The Surfriders open their regular season today (Nov. 28) at Castle.
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