KSM’s Painter excited for next chapter at ‘dream school’ BYU
Painter
Kamehameha Schools Maui’s Keoni Painter attended and excelled at several Mainland showcase events over the last two years when back-to-back MIL baseball seasons were wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Keoni Painter
Painter
Kamehameha Schools Maui’s Keoni Painter attended and excelled at several Mainland showcase events over the last two years when back-to-back MIL baseball seasons were wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Keoni Painter
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Keoni Painter's dream came true when he signed on the dotted line last week to accept a baseball scholarship from Brigham Young University.
"BYU has always been my dream school, the school I always wanted to go to," Painter, a senior at Kamehameha Schools Maui, said Monday. "I was talking to other colleges, too, you know, but it's just that their facilities are really nice, their coaches are amazing over there."
Painter is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"That was a reason on why I wanted to go to BYU because I'm going to be able to adjust better and it's just something that I want to be a part of," said Painter, who says he does not plan to take a two-year mission. "I'm already part of the church and I want to continue that."
To have the decision made and his immediate future clear is a huge relief to Painter, who has not played high school baseball since his freshman year at Kamehameha Maui due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He plans to continue playing center field and pitcher for the Cougars.
"I mean, I really can't wait to get up there and just play," he said. "It's been honestly a dream come true for me to be part of BYU baseball, so I just can't wait."
He has attended and excelled at several Mainland showcase events over the last two years when back-to-back Maui Interscholastic League baseball seasons were wiped out.
There were some doubts, at times, if the college baseball opportunity would indeed come about.
"It was kind of like me being nervous, but I think COVID actually impacted me in such a good way, and the quarantine impacted me in such a good way," Painter said. "I don't think I'd be where I'm at without the quarantine. I think it impacted me in a good way where I was able to work on my game, work on my body and get better and get to where I want to be.
"Every day, it's just wake up in the morning, I've got weights, lifting. During the quarantine we still had schoolwork and stuff, so, of course, I attended classes. Boom, right after that I'm in the cage hitting. Later getting a massage to make sure my body was right. Just getting development, honestly, because that's what I need the most, I think."
He and fellow Mauian Levi Maddela were members of Hawaii Elite, a travel team that had players from the Valley Isle, Oahu and Hawaii Island.
"I think that was the biggest key," Painter said. "It helped me so much just by getting me out there, just exposure-wise. It was good for me just to be gone the whole summer and show recruiters what I had."
Painter is part of a group of recent NCAA Division I baseball signees from Maui, including Maui High's Luke Alwood,who will continue his career at Seattle University, and Baldwin's Wehiwa Aloy, who will play at Sacramento State.
Aloy and Painter attend the same church in Central Maui.
"It's crazy, it's good, I mean look at all of us doing good, and me and 'Hiwa grew up together, we always all played with each other, so to see us go up and play D-I ball, it's amazing," Painter said. "There's other people behind us, so hopefully we can help them. ... Hawaii players can compete."
Before BYU, Painter must finish up at Kamehameha Maui.
While he expects the MIL season to be competitive, Painter said he may not play for the Warriors as a senior "because I'm already focused on my next chapter pretty much."
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.