Hawaii All Stars who competed in Barcelona included Izzy Hartman Baker, Peyton Simeon, Sophia Santos, PaisLee Nelson, Luke Nelson, PrezLee Nelson, Anja Wilson, Irie Tanju, Sierra Farias, Khloe Singson, Kolea Ortiz Alboro, Sophia Stockwell, ElleCee Nelson, Liliana Chun Remogat, Madison Riglos and Alice Santos. Courtesy photo

Consistency starts with standards.

Based in Kahului, Hawaii All Stars was founded by Kealii Molina with the goal of creating a cheerleading program on Maui that could provide opportunities he did not have growing up.

What began as a small program has since expanded into a championship-winning organization, with teams across Maui and a second gym opening in Arizona.

As the sport of all-star cheerleading has evolved over the years, Hawaii All Stars has continued to grow through its coaching, athlete development, travel opportunities and team culture. Despite that growth, the program’s mission has remained the same: building strong athletes while helping shape confident, hardworking young people.

“Those goals are pursued through disciplined practices, detailed routine preparation, and creating a friendly competitive environment inside the gym every day,” said Molina.

As the program grew, so did the athletes and their coaches.

“We’ve raised our expectations technically year after year, but the real difference has been developing athletes who believe they belong on the national and international stage,” Molina explained.

Molina said the culture at Hawaii All Stars has become one of the program’s greatest accomplishments, while creating a sense of pride for Maui and the local community.

“Compared to the mainland teams, sometimes people underestimate what a small team from Hawaii can do,” said Molina. “Every time we come home successful, it shows our athletes that they can compete with anyone in the world while still representing where they come from.”

Hawaii All Stars cheerleaders Izzy Hartman Baker, Cienna Corpuz, Kahiau Mercer and Malia Singson support flyer Mia Ching during a stunt. Courtesy photo

Most seasons include travel to two competitions on Oahu and one major mainland competition in states such as California, Nevada, Georgia and Florida. Through those opportunities to travel and compete, athletes from Hawaii All Stars have created lasting memories while playing important roles on their teams.

“Being an alumni of this team is like a family who you can always go back to, having the gym as a second home,” said Jordan Howell, one of the Hawaii All Stars alumni. “While I was competing, it taught you more than being an athlete but how to grow alongside one another. Having a sister on my team was fun because we got to experience the wins and work through the challenges together strengthening the bond of us and our team.”

Competing against some of the nation’s top-ranked programs while gaining travel and life experience is another key part of what Hawaii All Stars aims to provide its athletes.

At the start of each season, Molina and the coaching staff focus on growth, consistency and competing at the highest level possible. While championships remain a goal, Hawaii All Stars places an emphasis on clean performances, athlete development and building resilient, confident and hardworking teams.

“Every season we focus on building strong habits from day one attendance, accountability, conditioning and mental preparation,” said Molina. “We also work hard to create technique that stays consistent even as athletes move between teams or age divisions. The goal is for every athlete in the program to understand what Hawaii All Stars represents regardless of the season or team they’re on.”

As the Rainbows enter a new season, memories from last year remain centered on the program’s first international competition in Barcelona.

For many athletes and families from Hawaii All Stars, the trip marked their first time traveling outside the United States. Competing overseas exposed the athletes to a new atmosphere and level of competition while bringing the teams closer together.

“Traveling internationally to Europe last season was an incredible experience,” said Molina. “It reminded everyone that All Star cheer can open doors far beyond the gym. The athletes handled the experience with maturity and represented Hawaii extremely well.”

Lianna De La Vega performs a stunt while competing for the Hawaii All Stars. Courtesy photo

Next season, the Rainbows will continue competing at major TSN, Varsity and USASF events across the country, with the program’s international team returning to Europe for a competition in Switzerland.

“Personally, what I’m most excited for is watching the new teams come together,” said Molina. “We are so excited about what we see on the floor right now two weeks into our new season. We cannot wait to see what this season brings.”

Molina said there is something special about watching athletes set goals and build chemistry at the start of each season as new teams begin to form. As each season comes to a close, he said it is rewarding to see how much the teams and individual athletes have grown.

“The trophies are amazing, but the relationships, memories and confidence these athletes build throughout the season are what really make it so awesome for me,” said Molina. “Being able to call them athletes on my teams at the end of the day is huge, and I take so much pride in that.”

From trials to championship titles, Hawaii All Stars continues to prove that its athletes train and compete to uphold the culture, pride, and values that the program was built on.

“We believe all teams are successful at Hawaii All Stars and we love to live by the saying, ‘Work hard in silence and let success make the noise,'” said Molina.