On Wednesday, April 3rd, the Kaiser Varsity Tennis Team had their last home game of the season, where the Seniors on the team had their senior night to commemorate their last home game. The game was against Kalaheo, and although Kaiser played as best as they could, Kalaheo had won more games during the meet. However, the spirit and community the team shared during the senior night was unmatched.
Steele Toguchi, a senior and one of the top players on the team, had an incredibly close match that had the entire crowd on edge. Toguchi demonstrated his ability to quickly position himself on the court and pressure the ball, never ceasing even when he was down points in a set. Although he played admirably, unfortunately Kalaheo took the victory in the end. Still, Toguchi played with such finesse and passion that could only be expected by a top player.
Off the court, Toguchi shared some insights about the season and how he’s motivated to do as well as he does. “I’d play more tournaments, because like, then I’d have more match experience” he responded when asked about what he’d do differently this season. “Yeah, and my mom (Coach Holly) is my biggest inspiration”. For those who are also playing tennis, take advice from Toguchi: don’t be afraid to get out there and play more for that valuable experience.
Another memorable senior match was Antoine Plot’s. Plot is another senior and top player on the team, and it’s evident as to why; his presence on the court was unrivaled, securing the first set with powerful shots & serves that forced his opponent to adapt. Although Kalaheo may have won that match, it was clear that Plot was carrying the spirit of the team with him, the cheering and encouragement he received from the crowd was truly inspiring.
Besides singles matches, Nathan and Justin along with Henry Ho and Keenan Liu played intense doubles matches. The innate synergy of the Leung Cousins was a spectacle; they fit in like puzzle pieces on the court, matching each other’s play styles with a natural flow of footwork and swings. Ho’s and Liu’s match was a sight deserving of a highlight, playing like a true duo built upon friendship and camaraderie. Ho was the underdog, playing through a tough injury that required him to approach every incoming serve and rally with double the strength. Liu made sure to support his teammate in every which way, while also firing back with aggressive pressure on their opponents.
These incredible performances are the result of intensive practice, employing drills and exercise to hone their skills. “..Conditioning, it was very taxing, I actually threw up a couple times” said Justin Leung; in fact a few other players agreed that practice was rather memorable this season. Coach Holly even touched on the noticeable progression of players like Leung throughout their time on the team, both physically and mentally.
On top of that, the team spent quality time off the court bonding and creating memories to last a lifetime. Cameron Inskeep, a junior on the team, said that the team bonding sleepover was the most memorable event,”We had this big sleepover in the Gym, we had to clean the floor first of course, but it was a lot of fun hanging out and playing with the sports stuff”. Other players, like Toguchi and Nathan Leung, said that participating in the tournaments and the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) was the most memorable. “Two of our doubles teams got top four in one of the tournaments, but then we lost immediately which sucked but was kinda funny” said Nathan Leung, who had been on one of the doubles team that placed top four. It’s clear to see that no matter where, the team always had a blast.
It was all worth it in the end, while not everything can go perfectly, the games served as a time of reflection & memorability.
The festivities for the senior night that followed the game were truly heartwarming. The seniors were venerated, adorned with leis and given unique posters, they delivered truly beautiful speeches that brought tears to family, coaches, and peers.
But the best part was the Senior Slam, a tradition on the tennis team where, as a final send-off, the seniors are served a ball from a partner of their choice and they spike the ball into the court as hard as they can. A perfect homage to their time playing tennis that really envelops a sense of community into it.
Congratulations to:
Henry Ho
Coleman Lau
Dominic Lau
Justin Leung
Nathan Leung
Keenan Liu
Alyssa Ko
Antoine Plot
Steele Toguchi
