Punahou soccer player Carly Cormack’s top attribute was “her vision, her anticipation of seeing plays develop,” according to her coach Shelley Izuno.
For those who saw Cormack on the field, it was fairly clear she was a special talent.
Cormack is the fourth Buffanblu girls soccer player to be inducted into the HHSAA Hall of Honor, joining Rachel Kane (2003), Kristin Lim (2009) and Aisha Price (2009).
“To be inducted into the HHSAA Hall of Honor, distinguishing the top 12 senior student-athletes in the state, is such a privilege and honor,” Cormack said. “I feel very blessed to be included in this group of amazing current and former inductees.”
Cormack, a midfielder, finished with eight goals and three assists as a junior, and 11 goals and nine assists as a senior to help Punahou claim consecutive HHSAA Division I girls soccer titles.
Along the way, she has racked up multiple individual awards: two-time Honolulu Star-Advertiser Player of the Year, and Hawaii Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year as a junior (this year’s recipient hasn’t been announced).
“It’s rewarding to know that my hard work, dedication and sacrifices have paid off,” Cormack said. “I am also proud of my team’s hard work and success. Soccer is a team sport, and I am just one of 11 players on the field. Without this amazing group of players and my coaches, my success and the success of this team wouldn’t have been possible.”
Cormack outworked everyone, led by example and remained down to earth, according to Izuno.
“She also doesn’t take herself too seriously,” Izuno said. “The same with a few of the players. Our practices and training are at a high level every day, depending on what they’re doing, but they can laugh at each other and just joke on the field. It makes practices really fun and it’s good for the kids, too, because they’re pushing themselves, but also enjoying what they’re doing. She’s someone who will laugh at herself all the time.”
Cormack, who will play at Oregon next season, was part of an extremely successful girls soccer senior class at Punahou. The group didn’t have a freshman year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then appeared in three consecutive state finals. The Buffanblu lost to Kamehameha in their sophomore year, then beat the Warriors for the title the past two years.
“She was a standout before she was a freshman,” Izuno said. “There was a mixture of finding your way in high school athletics and being an underclassman, but even as a sophomore she did really well, but still was trying to be more of a supporting role on the team. It wasn’t until her junior year where she stepped up into a larger role.”
Cormack also was active away from soccer. She helped out with Punahou’s May Day and Holoku program, which promotes Hawaiian culture. She also volunteered with the Special Olympics and Great Aloha Run through the Leahi Soccer Club, and helped her mother, Marlo, coach youth soccer teams.
Cormack will travel to Eugene, Ore., in late June to start training with the Ducks, who went winless this past season.
“Although a chapter of my life is coming to an end, I’m so excited to start a new chapter at the University of Oregon, where I will play collegiate soccer and continue my academic career,” said Cormack, who added she has an interest in health sciences. “I’m looking forward to playing at the next level and facing new challenges.”
As for any shoutouts, Cormack said: “The most important people I would like to acknowledge are my mom and my dad. My parents have always supported me and believed in me since I decided at the age of 4 that soccer was my passion. I am thankful for the time and effort invested in me and not just my soccer career, but in my growth as a person. They’ve countlessly picked me up and pushed me into the person and player that I am today.”
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Meet the 2024 inductees
>> Kamehameha’s Adrianna Arquette
>> Kalani’s Yuta Cole
>> Punahou’s Carly Cormack
>> Lanai’s Diesel Del Rosario
>> Kahuku’s Maia Esera
>> Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Maela Honma
>> Punahou’s Payton Jim On
>> Mid-Pacific’s Logan Lau
>> Hawaii Prep’s Brooke Samura
>> Mililani’s Belise Swartwood
>> Punahou’s Lulu Uluave
>> Kaimuki’s Jeremiah White
