Growing up, Marley Roe’s family tree was stocked with athletic prowess.
And there was young Marley. Not the tallest at 5 feet 7. Speedy, but not the fastest. What the youngest in a long line of Roe and Lau athletes was and is: possibly the smartest and the toughest.
It culminated last month with the announcement of Roe’s induction into the Hall of Honor. Her success on the pitch as a goalkeeper and her versatility and value as a setter on the volleyball court led to a phone call on Sunday night.
“I was so excited when Coach Tita (Ahuna, Punahou co-athletic director) called us. My cousin, Sarah (Lau), who I’ve always looked up to, was inducted in 2015. So after winning (soccer) states my freshman year, my mom mentioned to me that Hall of Honor could be something I could work toward if I kept working hard,” Roe said.
The second state soccer title followed in Roe’s junior year (2022), sandwiching the cancellation of the ’21 spring season. Also in ’22, Kamehameha won the girls volleyball state championship.
Roe is both a key component physically and the proverbial “glue guy” as a communicator in the midst of battle. The toughness was on display from the start when she played through a back injury at the state tourney.
“I knew I had to dig deep and play through it. I came up with some big saves that night and got impact player of the game. It was definitely something I would never forget,” she said.
Expectations wavered in the ’21 volleyball season after Punahou earned the No. 1 seed for states.
“It all started with an amazing prayer and blessing by Uncle Ellie (Tia Kapihe’s father) at our bus sendoff on campus. From then, we were all in the zone. Everything went in favor that night, beating them in three (sets), too. That night was just special! It was amazing because of the girls I got to do it with. A lot of them were the same girls I played with in seventh grade. We dreamed of winning a state championship. I always looked up to Devin (Kahahawai) and Maui (Robins). To call them my sisters was unforgettable.”
The state soccer final in ’22 was fairly similar, with one distinct difference. Roe was red-carded in the second overtime period, but Kamehameha still pulled out a win over nemesis Punahou for the crown.
“There’s no greater feeling than winning with girls you’ve been playing with since middle school, and some of them even earlier,” Roe said.
It all started with her parents, Moe and Liz Roe. Moe Roe is a former UH football player. Liz (Lau) Roe’s side of the family has athletes across the board, from surfer Ezekiel Lau to the aforementioned Sarah Lau to the Viena basketball ohana.
“I always knew that I wanted to play at the Division I (college) level whether that be soccer or volleyball, but playing at the level often comes with a pretty big price tag. I worked hard to get a scholarship so that my parents didn’t need to worry about paying for me,” Roe said. “I guess it’s kind of me giving back to them for all that they have sacrificed, for me growing up to go to a private school, and play two club sports taking three or four trips a year. They have done so much for me and I always just want to make them proud.”
Roe will play volleyball at Utah Tech next season.
“I am planning on majoring in either computer engineering or electrical engineering,” she said.
The toughness and passion for competition were always there. Honing her cerebral side as an athlete has taken Roe to the next level.
“I’m not intimidated by people. I know what I’m capable of and I’m going to push myself to perform and show out. As long as I’m doing the best I can and trying my hardest, everything will work out,” she said. “You can only control what’s in your possession. Your mind is one of them. Mental toughness isn’t something you can teach. You have to find it within yourself.”
Roe’s shoutouts are as long as a statesman’s address to the nation. She thanks God, Kamehameha Schools, Po‘o Kula Dr. Taran Chun, all of her athletic directors, locker room aunties, the athletic training staff and her family.
“To my parents, thank you for sacrificing so much. I love you,” she said.
Roe was never interested in playing in the smoothest or cutest way. She is the epitome of grit and intelligence.
“I want to be remembered for just always working hard and going past my limitations. I want all the other shorter girls to know they can play at any level as long as they work hard, put their minds to it and believe in themselves no matter what others might say,” Roe said. “Height is just a label that you shouldn’t be afraid to rip apart.”
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Hall of Honor inductees
>> Milan Ah Yat of University Lab and Pac-Five
>> Leonard Ah You of Kahuku
>> Elijah Dinkel of Kamehameha-Hawaii
>> Brock Fonoimoana of Kahuku
>> Taryn Irimata of Campbell
>> Liona Lefau of Kahuku
>> Solomone Malafu of Kapaa
>> Tatum Moku of Kamehameha
>> Keala Montgomery of Lanai
>> Raya Nakao of Punahou
>> Zola O’Donnell of Mililani
