Kelsie Imai stepping onto the court to play basketball is the equivalent of a viewer raising the remote control to their TV screen and hitting the fast forward button.
The 5-foot-7, fifth-year senior guard from Pahoa on the Big Island took her role off the bench last season as a personal challenge to create havoc the moment she steps on the court.
The pace of the game ratchets up, the intensity on the floor is multiplied, and while sometimes it works and other times it is borderline out of control, it almost always fuels the other four Rainbow Wahine on the court.
“That was always what I was taught. My dad was always heavy on when you go out there, you give your best. You don’t know who is watching,” Imai said last week. “Leave the court with nothing left in your tank, that’s what I always do. I go out there and give my full effort, if it’s for five minutes, if it’s for two minutes, if it’s for 10 minutes, I’m going to go in and do what I have to do to make my team better and help give them scoring options.”
It was more than four years after Imai graduated from Waiakea High School that she returned to her home island with her entire UH team.
Before the Rainbow Wahine opened the season on the road at Portland and Portland State, they participated in two exhibition games, including one at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo in late October.
Imai was the star of the show in her hometown. When she wasn’t preparing for the game, she was surrounded by people coming up to her from her past.
The smiles, hugs and many tears all made for one emotional trip that has already made coming back for her fifth season well worth it.
“I didn’t realize it, but when I went home, a lot of people were excited to see me and me just being me, I was like, ‘I’m just from here. Why you guys acting weird?’” Imai said laughing. “I knew I was going to have the support from my family, but I didn’t realize how much support I was going to get from everybody. It was really eye-opening to see all of the people be excited. People I hadn’t talked to or seen for years, they came out to the game and were super excited to see me play and the team play and that’s exciting because we don’t get that much basketball to watch in Hilo.”
Imai, the youngest of four siblings, came to Hawaii during the COVID-19 pandemic year that kept her from participating in official high school graduation events.
Without knowing the rules and what to expect, Imai worked hard just wanting to get a chance to play.
She never imagined playing in all 17 games and starting 16, averaging more than 26 minutes a game.
Since then, the goal has been to continue that and grow as a person.
“I got thrown into the fire, which in a sense was good for me because I had to force myself to learn the pace and grow a whole lot quicker,” Imai said. “Throughout the years there’s been a lot of evolving and growing pains and trials and tribulations, but my five years has been nothing but a great experience and I’m always so thankful to play for Hawaii and play for my state and have my family come watch me whenever.”
If there is one thing Imai isn’t scared of on the basketball court, it is competition.
This year’s team is one of Laura Beeman’s deepest and most talented in her 13 seasons as head coach.
Imai is one of six returnees who averaged at least 19 minutes a game.
“In the practice gym we all just go at each other, in a respectful way of course, and we all know that it’s business. Everyone wants to play,” Imai said. “Coach Beeman wants to see who is best for what situation.”
The rallying cry for the team this season is winning the Big West Conference. UH won the BWC in 2022 and ’23 and won the regular season a year ago before losing in the tournament semifinals to UC Davis.
For Imai, the goal is to enjoy the moment and have fun one last time. Everything else will take care of itself.
“I don’t want to have any regrets,” Imai said. “I try not to be too hard on myself and give myself grace because that’s one thing about me, I get so in my head and so hard on myself it takes me out of my game. Just enjoying every moment and embracing everything that comes with it.”
IN THIS SERIES
>> Lily Wahinekapu
>> MeiLani McBee
>> Mia ‘Uhila
>> Kelsie Imai
