Lahainaluna water polo players get opportunity to spend day with US women’s national team

Without a home pool to work out in due to the deadly Aug. 8 wildfire, the Lahainaluna High School girls water polo team has faced a major series of challenges just to get started this season.

The Lunas open their Maui Interscholastic League season today at 11:15 a.m. against King Kekaulike at Kamehameha Schools Maui pool.

Last week, the Lunas got the experience of a lifetime when they were able to spend Wednesday in Kona with the United States women's national water polo team.

A post on the USA women's water polo Instagram account said the veteran women enjoyed the opportunity just as much as the Lunas did.

"They flew to Kona to meet up with our team for inspiration after the fires, and in turn left us feeling inspired," the post said.

Lunas head coach Bradley Mason originally met USA women's head coach Adam Krikorian during the pandemic through a couple of Zoom calls and emails.

Krikorian reached out to Mason within the first couple days after the fire to see what USA Water Polo could do to help in any way.

"Actually right after the fire happened I was up at Napili Market sitting next to one of the Star-links trying to get on my phone to make communications with the outside world and charging my phone in my car just so I could have some power on my phone and an email actually popped in from coach Adam, just checking in on us," Mason said. "Cautiously checking in, making sure everyone was OK. And that's kind of how it started."

With funds available through the Luna Strong campaign spearheaded by Keith Amemiya, the former executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association and president of the Downtown Athletic Club of Honolulu, the Lunas were able to jump on a plane to Honolulu and then Kona to spend the day with the USA women's national team.

The Lunas were able to work out with the national team and also enjoyed a talk-story session with the members of the team, many of whom are already Olympic gold medalists -- they were in Kona working to be ready for the Paris Olympics this summer.

The Lunas' football, girls volleyball, cross country, girls and boys basketball teams, and boys and girls soccer have all received funds from the Luna Strong campaign, and the baseball and softball teams will receive funds this spring.

"We were happy to support the Lunas girls water polo team so that they could participate in such an amazing opportunity," Amemiya said Thursday. "The Luna Strong fund is meant to support as many Lunas sports teams as possible."

Just practicing each week day is one of the major challenges for the Lunas with Lahaina Aquatic Center unusable after being damaged by the fire.

"We're practicing at Kihei Aquatic Center and the timing of the season coincided with phase two of the cleanup," Mason, Lahainaluna's agricultural teacher, said after a scrimmage at Kamehameha Maui on Thursday night. "So kind of the early-February and mid-February traffic was a disaster, just getting out of West Maui. So, we've been trying a variety of things to make sure we get to Kihei on time -- leave at 2:30, leave at 3 o'clock, leave at 3:30, all these different things trying to play the traffic so we can get to practice on time and try to get our time in the pool.

"Everybody at Kihei has been very accommodating for us, the lifeguards and everyone. So, we're very thankful for those on that side for supporting us and welcoming us. It's been very nice."

Mason gives major credit Lahainaluna principal Richard Carosso, athletic director Jonathan Conrad and school administrators Rae Matsumoto -- known to most as "Auntie Rae" -- and Vicky Zupancic with helping make the season possible at all.

It has been a huge lift for the team.

"It's huge for the girls, just the ability to actually have a season and play water polo," Mason said of his team. "They've been talking about it and excited for months leading up to the season and I think just to be able to get in the water, be on a team, play for Lahainaluna, play for the community, I think it has been a very positive thing for the ladies."

After 10 years as the Lunas head coach, Mason stepped back to an assistant role the last two seasons as he was working on an apprenticeship in the electrical industry. He returned to teaching at the school this fall when the agricultural teaching spot opened up.

"I'm having a lot of fun, I love the game of water polo and it's something that I'm very passionate about and to be able to be there for the girls and help lead the team and be a part of the game that has brought a lot to my life in terms of joy and happiness, it's really fun to be back as the head coach," Mason said.

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com