This is what Tani Wade remembers.

“At a very young age, Kainoa and Makana played many hours of very competitive matches of balloon volleyball in our living room, acting out a full UH match, including introductions of their favorite players,” their mother said. “And singing ‘Hawaii Ponoi’.”

Kainoa Wade was a toddler during his first volleyball camp. Mom watched closely.

“I remember Josh Walker teaching serving and was showing the kids an overhand float serve. He told Kainoa, ‘OK, serve the ball,” and he was struggling with just how to hold the ball and which hand to use. I finally mentioned to Josh, ‘I don’t think he knows how to float serve,’ so Josh said, ‘OK, just serve,’ ” she recalled. “Kainoa tossed it up and cracked a jump serve across the net. Josh said, ‘OK, just do that.’ “

Somewhere in Kainoa Wade, competition is in his DNA. Now a 6-foot-8 sophomore, he had 27 kills as Kamehameha swept Hawaii Baptist last week. Wade had the vibe of an underdog.

“Don’t sleep on us,” he cautioned moments after the win.

Kamehameha is 2-0 and travels to ‘Iolani tonight for another showdown. Wade, an opposite, has a total of 41 kills and 10 digs. He also has 21 aces, and teammate Heston Cabinian has 13.

Wade is trouble for opposing defenses. He ended the HBA match by hitting off a double block for his final kill. ‘Iolani will strategize for him when the teams clash tonight at the Raiders’ gym.

“Kainoa is a very physical athlete with good all-around skills and a great arm, but it’s been most interesting watching him handle the pressure and great weight of expectation on his shoulders, which I’m sure will only grow and grow over time,” Raiders coach Jordan Inafuku said. “He certainly presents a unique challenge for his opponents to try to manage.”

The Warriors are operating like a machine, and all eyes are on Wade.

“We’re atop the ILH now, so we’ll see. ‘Iolani runs a weird offense, some weird rotations. They run people all over the place,” Wade noted.

He can’t help it. His brain is wired to analyze the game. Wade was born into the sport, digging deep into the nuances and complexity with his mother, a former Washington player, and his father, Hawaii coach Charlie Wade.

Their countless volleyball chats are as natural as breathing. Kainoa Wade’s ball boy days are long gone, but the chats remain as alive as ever.

“My dad’s been my coach at Outrigger (Canoe Club) for four years now. I definitely enjoy playing volleyball a lot more. I have the love for the game, I guess. I’ve been around it so long, it feels more comfortable,” he said.

Baseball his first sport

It was baseball, though, that was Wade’s first sport.

“My first organized sport was definitely baseball. I was 5, playing tee ball in Kailua Little League.”

Imagine if he had stuck with it: a 6-8 right-hander on the mound for Kamehameha.

“I was a pitcher. I was pretty good, but the practices were too long and I was into indoor sports,” he recalled.

Basketball became a passion along with volleyball. His basketball coach was Kyle Nakayama. His volleyball coach was Chad Giesseman. Wade’s DNA, though, was already set. Around the time he began to sprout, he was a ball boy for his father’s team, eventual two-time national champion Hawaii.

Wade’s emergence in basketball was vital to Kamehameha’s season in the winter. The Warriors were picking up momentum late in the season when Wade suffered a concussion. After missing time and clearing protocol, he suffered another concussion and his season was over. Kamehameha’s run faded.

He is healthy now, playing his best volleyball.

“He’s a competitor. I’ve never seen one like him. He always needs to win,” Kamehameha coach Sava Agpoon said. “The height and the brains he has is exceptional.”

The growth spurt was exceptional, too.

“In sixth grade I was probably 5-8. I wasn’t that tall. From sixth grade to seventh, I grew 4 inches,” Wade said. “From the start of eighth grade to the middle of ninth grade, I grew 7 inches. I was 6-7.”

He hasn’t been measured at home since.

“I’m probably 6-8 or 6-9 now. I always knew I would grow a little more, but not this tall,” he said. “It was hard enough to get shirts that have the long enough length and size. For jackets and stuff, they’re always too short. Pants up to my ankles.”

The growth spurt was more of a crawl.

“Part of this time period was in the middle of COVID, during the online, at-home school period so we were seeing him almost every second of the day,” Tani (Martin) Wade said. “Kainoa had been so much taller than kids his age, so it didn’t seem like he was growing that fast until he kept growing out of shoes. Then he started hitting his head on the ceiling fans and door jambs.”

The volleyball gear fits just fine. In 2021, Wade trained with Team USA’s national team during the summer in Anaheim. He returned for another week of training in December of that year.

“It was mostly just playing against competition, the best players in the country,” Wade said. “A humbling experience, too.”

His freshman season at Kamehameha was cut short by a back injury. All that frustration and competitiveness stored up. Fueled up. The results are about using intelligence.

“Even now, my dad comments on serving and stuff like that. He’s more of a stats guy, percentages,” Wade said. “He was there on Tuesday. He’s in the corner with mom sometimes, and my brother.”

Father imparts wisdom

His father’s wisdom is always there.

“I like serving, for sure. It’s all about the hand on ball, where you’re contacting it to a certain spot. Aim small, miss small. My dad says that,” Wade said.

There is also a golf analogy.

“He also says, you don’t always pull driver. You don’t always go for bombs,” Wade added.

Younger brother Kekoa is now a Warriors ball boy, soaking it all in like Kainoa did at that age. Kainoa has already envisioned his future. It is green.

“I think I am going to Hawaii. My dad offered me in eighth grade. I want to play in Hawaii,” Wade said.

Mira Costa setter Tread Rosenthal, a 6-9 setter, and 6-7 outside hitter Finn Kearney of Sandra Day O’Conner (Ariz.), committed to Hawaii in October. Both are juniors.

“I’m locked in. I have a pretty good class coming in,” Wade said.

He also hopes to follow in the footsteps of Micah Christenson, Kawika Shoji and Erik Shoji one day.

“I want to go to the Olympics,” Wade said. “That’s the main goal.”

For now, the journey is also a quest. Kainoa and Makana talk volleyball and basketball anywhere, at home and school.

‘“My older brother is the brains. I listen to him. He’s always got good observations and things to say,” he said. “I take it in.”

On and off the court, Wade is an includer.

“Kainoa is very thoughtful and caring,” Tani Wade said. “He is the one that gets everyone to play something or do something even if they don’t want to. It makes for some great memories. He likes to joke and play, and it’s all in a good spirit to make others around have fun.”

KAINOA WADE

Kamehameha volleyball, basketball 6 feet, 8 inches sophomore

>> Top 3 movies/shows: 1. “Top Gun: Maverick,” 2. “Cars,” 3. “Aladdin.” “I felt pretty moved. It’s pretty inspirational.”

>> Top 3 food/snacks/drinks: 1. Spam musubi. 2. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue chicken (Kailua). 3. Rice Krispie treats

>> Top 3 homemade foods: 1. Mom’s fried rice. 2. Dad’s grilled steak. 3. Grandma’s Thanksgiving stuffing. “My grandma (Gwen Martin) makes it every Thanksgiving. I can’t make it.”

>> Top 3 music artists: 1. Jack Johnson (“Better Together”). 2. Olivia Rodrigo (“Good 4 U”). 3. Lil Baby (“Heatin’ Up”)

>> Favorite class: World History. “I like historical facts. Kumu Kurt Ai, he’s a water polo coach.”

>> Favorite teacher: Mrs. VDK (Barb VanDerKamp). “Second grade, Lanikai Elementary. She kept the class engaged. She had a lot of pets. Guinea pigs, chameleons, a bunch of stuff. I liked the guinea pigs. A couple of them died. Those were sad days. At home, we have four dogs. My dad walks them 6 miles a day.”

>> Favorite athlete/team: Dwyane Wade. “Because his last name is Wade and I’m a Heat fan. I’m a Dolphins fan for football, and for baseball, I’m an Angels fan. My dad was an Angels fan from when he was young. I’ve been to a bunch of Angels games.”

>> Funniest teammate: Heston Cabinian. “He’s a funny, man. He makes funny comments.”

>> Smartest teammate: Dane Keahi. “He’s going to Yale. That’s one of his options.”

>> GPA: “Last year it was as 3.1 or 3.2.”

>> Time machine: The future. “I’d go 20 years in the future and see where I’m at. You could go to the past and bet on sports games and make a bunch of money, but I think going to the future is more valuable.”

>> Hidden talent: “I’m pretty good at chess. Everybody’s playing nowadays. Our team. Friends. Christian Togiai is the best one on the team.”

>> New life skill: “I guess I can cook. All the simple stuff. Pasta, quesadillas. All the standard stuff.”

>> Bucket list: Venice, Greece, Brazil, Australia. “Australia is No. 1. The outback. But I like sleeping in a bed. I hate bugs.”

>> Shoutouts “Shout out my family, my mom and brothers (Kekoa and Makana).”