In many ways, Friday will be Christmas Eve for Robyn Ah Mow. The third-year Hawaii volleyball coach knows there are presents waiting for her in Gym I when the Rainbow Wahine open 2019 practice.
She’s heard they are good presents.
Really good.
Ah Mow knows what she has already received in the seven returnees and the two transfers who participated in spring ball. There’s also junior Brooke Van Sickle, daughter of former Warrior volleyball player Gary and Hawaii Pacific volleyball player Lisa Bragado Van Sickle. who originally was transferring from Oregon just to play beach for the SandBows.
And then there is Bailey Choy (‘Iolani), who graduated after setting for Utah the past three seasons and is home for her final year of eligibility. The Ah Mow and Choy ohanas go back one generation to beach volleyball days at the Natatorium when Robyn Ah Mow was growing up.
But what intrigues the former Wahine All-American setter and three-time Olympian the most are her five incoming freshmen. She’s heard how the newcomers are doing in open gym this summer — coaches are not allowed to watch — and is looking forward to seeing for herself how Braelyn Akana, Hanna Hellvig, Amber Igiede, Riley Wagoner and Tiffany Westerberg are assimilating to college ball.
“We’ve been hearing from some of our players that these are not your normal freshmen,” Ah Mow said on Wednesday. “I said, ‘Good or bad?’ They said, ‘No, they’re pretty good.’
“So I said, ‘Did we do a good job recruiting then?’ They said, ‘You did good.’ This is from our seniors.”
But all the talent in the world doesn’t translate into winning, Ah Mow said. It’s all about how the players will gel — particularly since nine of the 16 were not part of the Wahine team that finished 18-9, second in the Big West and out in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year.
She doesn’t promise starting jobs nor playing time to her players. All positions are up for grabs, positions that may not be the same ones for which players were recruited nor where they might play match to match.
Ah Mow looks for the all-around player. Look no further than last season when all-conference junior setter Norene Iosia was used as an outside hitter in a modified 6-2 (two setter) system.
“If you don’t have competition, you can get complacent,” Ah Mow said. “Things can change during the season, during a match.
“Everyone is fighting it out and that’s a good thing. Maybe it’s why people want to transfer here. I give everyone a chance. They know the best six are going to play.”
Don’t bother asking if there is a tentative lineup in the back of Ah Mow’s mind. Way too early. Way too many two-a-days through Aug. 24. Way too many variables before the first match against San Diego on Aug. 30 in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic.
“We started the process two years ago, me and (assistants) Angelica (Ljungqvist) and Kaleo (Baxter), we were looking for the right players,” Ah Mow said. “Everyone says we’re going to have a good team this year. We have good athletes but we’ve got to put them together and have them gel.
“There’s a lot of stuff that has to happen. I can’t wait.”
Note
There are two staff changes for this coming season. Faith Ma’afala has replaced Aven Lee as the director of volleyball operations and volunteer assistant Nick Castello is leaving for California to pursue coaching opportunities.
Last season, Ma’afala started 26 of 27 matches and led the team in assists and was second in aces. She was one of three Wahine to play all 102 sets, along with Iosia and graduated libero Tita Akiu.
Ah Mow expects to announce a new volunteer coach soon.
