Hawaii Pacific University Athletics

During the 2016-2017 academic year, HPU students-athletes and coaches participated in a variety of community engagement events, projects, and outreach.  Over 2,500 hours were dedicated to a wide range of activities to benefit our island home and its people.  In the Hawaiian language, kuleana is the value of responsibility.  It is something our student-athletes have taken to heart together with aloha, which means love, peace and compassion.
Kam’s Helmets
The highlight of our efforts this year was receiving runner up for the 2017 NCAA Dll Award of Excellence, an annual accolade recognizing positive campus and community engagement events. The award was given for the annual Kam’s Helmets program, in honor of former basketball player Kameron Steinhoff, who died in a skateboarding accident.  This year, 90 free helmets were distributed to Hawaii’s youth and students to promote helmet safety for bicycles, skateboards, and mopeds.
 
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
HPU women’s teams participated again in the annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day, a national observance celebrating the extraordinary achievements of girls and women in sports.  HPU’s female student-athletes and coaches hosted free clinics in their respective sports for over 170 girls grades K – 8. 

Make-A-Wish
HPU athletics continued its efforts on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  SAAC held a beach volleyball tournament at Queens Beach, a bake sale, and sold Make-A-Wish stars at Acrobatics and Tumbling all on Make-A-Wish weekend.  SAAC also held military appreciation day at baseball to honor our veterans and raise money for Make-A-Wish.  Men’s Soccer had the privilege of revealing to a special student at HPU that he was the recipient of his wish where the foundation flew him to Los Angeles to meet his favorite soccer player, Steven Gerrard.  Jordan also led the HPU team as honorary captain against Simon Fraser University.

Team Participation
In addition to the bigger events and foundations our athletic department supported, individual teams made a huge impact around the community.
 
Baseball participated with Special Olympics at the Marine Corp base to aid the bowlers for 2 days.
 
Softball were involved in numerous activities, including holding free instructional clinics on 4 separate weekends, they participated in Team Impact Emily as Student Athlete mentors, they were responsible for all the floral arrangements at the Salvation Army Thanksgiving meal event, they participated in the Waimanalo Beach cleanup and fed the homeless, helped out at the National Fire Fighters Burn Center Foundation Golf Tournament, and held NCAA Girls Day at Howard Okita field.
Men’s Basketball participated in a beach cleanup at the famous Sandy Beach, visited a VA hospital to interact with military, and participated in Palama Day, where they worked with underprivileged children.

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country also worked with Special Olympics Hawaii, hosting and assisting track athletes. They delivered Thanksgiving meals for Inspire Church Honolulu meal giveaway, volunteered as running buddies for 5-10 year olds at Girls on the Run Hawaii, and cleaned up at the Annual Earth Day Waikiki Beach Cleanup.

Men’s and Women’s Tennis did a 4 day after school tennis program at Kalihi Elementary for underprivileged kids.
Women’s Soccer participated in Puohala Elementary schools wellness day playing soccer and discussing the value of exercise and health.
Men’s Soccer worked with the American Youth Soccer Association.  First they did a free clinic to over 100 boys and girls, then played soccer and interacted with AYSO VIP (Very Important Player).  The AYSO VIP program allows the mentally and physically disabled to participate in the beautiful game.

There was also much collaboration between teams that went a long way in establishing relationships in our community, including our Alcohol Education Program (Shark Way) where student-athletes acted as leaders in the NCAA Choices Education Program.  Many teams helped new students move in and feel comfortable during Orientation Week.

All in all it was a wonderful year to be a Shark at Hawaii Pacific University. There were countless creative and useful ways to express compassion, peace, and love.  Student-Athletes combined learning goals and community service in ways that enhanced both student growth and the common good. We had learning experiences, while strengthening our beloved community.

MAHALO,

HPU SHARK OHANA