A later start to the spring semester elevates the importance of time management for the Hawaii softball team.
With the season opener 23 days away, the Rainbow Wahine reported back to campus for classes and conditioning on Monday and will have their first on-field practice of the spring today.
UH coach Bob Coolen noted that practices started a week earlier last year and said the staff will focus on repetitions early on but won’t wait very long before getting into game situations and intrasquad scrimmages to prepare for the Feb. 6 debut against Hampton in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic.
The start of the spring should also provide the coaches with an idea of who got their homework done over the winter break.
"Basically it’s a matter of who’s huffing and puffing and who can throw the weight they threw at the end of their (fall) program," Coolen said.
UH strength coach James Chassin provided the players with a strength training regimen before they dispersed for the holidays, emphasizing hang cleans, back squats and pull-ups with adaptations for players without ready access to a weight room.
"I remember my freshman, sophomore year, I was like, ‘Oh I’ll do it tomorrow.’ This year I completed our chart we had from James," said senior Sharla Kliebenstein.
"I think everyone is ready to get back on the field and show we’re in shape. …It felt good just knowing we’re about to start playing in three weeks already."
Kliebenstein returns as a three-year starter and is slated to move to center field, the position held by Kelly Majam the past four years. Along with their record-setting production, Kliebenstein credited Majam and four-year shortstop Jessica Iwata for setting an example for the returnees.
"Kelly and Jessica have taught us so well the chemistry you need in order to succeed as a team," Kliebenstein said. "I think having … everyone that’s been around, we’ve adopted that same attitude."
Including Kliebenstein, UH returns six starters off last year’s 45-13 team that won the Big West title. The others are catcher Kayla Wartner, first baseman Leisha Li‘ili‘i, second baseman Jazmine Zamora, third baseman Kaile Nakao and right fielder Keiki Carlos.
The team integrated a sizable class of newcomers into that culture in the fall, with several expected to contend for significant roles right away.
"We have nine new players and four freshmen stepped to the forefront and they took over," Coolen said.
Shortstop Sarina Jaramillo and outfielder Lindsey Willmon had strong showings in the fall. The left-right duo of Brittany Hitchcock and Heather Morales are slated to handle the bulk of the pitching duties along with sophomore Loie Kesterson. NFCA third-team All-American Kaia Parnaby completed her career in record-shattering fashion last year. Freshman Ulu Matagiese could also contend in the outfield.
Coolen said third base is "wide open" and sophomore Dori Ann Sugai’s progress in the fall tightened the competition with Zamora —UH’s leading hitter last year — at second base.
Carlos, a sophomore, hit leadoff for most of UH’s fall tournament, but Coolen is also considering using Wartner in that role.
"We’ll decide and have a solid lineup going right before (the season)," Coolen said.
"We’ll be young and it’ll be interesting."
