Wahine share Shoji tales
CHERYL GRIMM
(1976-1979)
"In the 1979 National Championship match against Utah State, we went down two games to none in a five-game match. In between the second and third game we were in the huddle (mind you, we had about seven or eight seniors) and he looks at us and says, 'All right girls, we're right where we want to be!' We all looked at him with our best 'stink eye,' like 'What match have you been watching?' The players all looked at each other as if to say, 'Never mind him, we've got this!' With some great team play we went on to win in five and grasp Hawaii's first national title. His comment was probably meant to calm us down, but it (ticked) us off enough to fight together to the end."
NAHAKU BROWN
(1978-1981)"The Wahine Volleyball team celebration of Halloween and a birthday was to have a Toga party at a private residence. I remember the bed sheet never looked good on Dave's short, skinny Japanese legs, especially when he was topless. The twin-size bed sheet was just too BIG. He looked better in a baseball cap rather than a twig headband. He really participated in team bonding events and was a real trooper. Thank you for all the good times, Dave."
MISSY YOMES
(1980-1983)
My freshman year was a life-changing experience. It began with my name. It sounds silly and simple, but my name appeared on the first team roster as Roblynn. I later became known as Missy. Dave asked me, 'What is your name?' I said Roblynn. 'Why do we call you Missy.' Long story coach. Then he asks me, 'What do I like?' I replied, 'Missy.' Then he said, 'I like it too.' So, it stuck. It's funny because when I was not performing at my optimal level, I would hear 'Roblynn' from the assistant coaches.
One other story In 1982 and 1983 he kept getting letters from a guy that wanted to challenge our team. He never told Dave until the end of our season — his last letter — where his home court was. It was from some jail. That's when Dave said he declined the match."
TITA AHUNA
(1984-1987)
"During Spring training we were doing a series of sprint workouts. We needed to partner up but there was an odd number and we needed one more person to even out the teams. Dave decides that he will jump in and race against me. Why? You figure it out. It was a pretty rigorous sprint workout. After the workout, Dave fell to the football field astroturf dead tired and in need of oxygen. He could not get up off the football field because he was dizzy. I went to shower and got ready for my intramural softball game. When I returned to the football field, he was still lying there. He never raced against me again."
MAHINA ELENEKI HUGO
(1984-1987)
"It was our senior year, after our game at Long Beach State. A bunch of our friends from Hawaii were having a party in Whittier about 20 minutes away, so Tita and I went with them. Curfew was at midnight. We show up back at the hotel at 12:05 a.m., get into our room and high five each other for the smooth re-entry ... yeah right.By the way, it's Tita's fault (not) because it was her birthday. The team was waiting for our return with a birthday cake and champagne until midnight. At 12:15 a.m. Diana Jessie knocks on our door with that all too familiar sassy Alaskan tone, 'Tita and Mahina — Dave wants to see you in his room right now!'Long story short, the next day we were heading to San Diego to play. We were all waiting in one van for Dave to meet us. He had been on a recruiting visit that morning. He pulls up in his car right next to our van and says, 'Tita and Mahina, in my car right now.' I immediately looked at Tita and said, 'I get the back.' We both start laughing. She said, 'No way,' so we junk-an-a-po over it ... I won!Dave did not speak to us for the first 15 minutes, then he asked. 'So, did you guys have a good time?' I answered and said, 'Actually we had a great time!'Needless to say, that was the longest car ride we ever had!"
LEAH KARRATTI
(1997-1998)
"Our practice T-shirts used to have big bulky sleeves. During practice one day, Dave was getting frustrated with some of the hitters because we were busy rolling our sleeves up throughout the hitting drills. He shouted, 'Leave those sleeves alone! If they're in the way, then cut them off!'The next day before practice, we pull out scissors and pass them around the locker room. As soon as everyone's ready, and as soon as we know Dave is in the gym, we line up and jog into Gym 1, passing Dave without talking. He falls down laughing! Did I say that we wore our sleeves around our heads? It was hilarious . As we're stretching in our circle, he takes someone's sleeve, puts it around his head, rolls up his right sleeve, pulls his shorts low like a 'gangstah' and hikes up his left sock, then starts strutting around the gym. We were all rolling on the gym floor laughing by then. Next, he starts peppering with someone ... can't remember who, but we knew he was over it! Ended up being a fun day.We continued to wear our sleeveless practice shirts to practice, and soon there was talk of ordering sleeveless uniforms. Two years later, it happened."
LAUREN (DUGGINS) CHUN
(2000-2003)
"During double days my sophomore year we were staying in the Stan Sheriff Arena and the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night. I don't recall the exact time, but I know everyone was sleeping and it scared the heck out of us. Mary (Shoji) and Kari (Ambrozich) came to the arena to pick the team up and took us back to Dave's house. Everyone snuggled up wherever they could find a spot. We were all so exhausted from the days prior and knew that the next day was going to be tough with the lost sleep."
HEDDER ILUSTRE
(2001-2002)
"One morning practice Dave had on some shorts that were a little bit shorter than usual. We were teasing him a little, then he realized he had put on Mary's (Shoji) shorts by accident, blaming it on having gotten dressed in the dark. One afternoon, Dave said he would be late to morning practice. He wasn't even late, but he said he would be because he had to walk his dog — and she doesn't wake up that early. I think he was joking, but he had that half serious/half joking smile on his face. You know the one."
CAYLEY THURLBY
(2003-2006)
"Freshman year: Jen Carey running back into the locker room screaming that she saw Dave naked! Apparently he had just came from the golf course and needed to change his pants, so since the Stan Sheriff was empty he ducked under the bleachers and started changing, even though there was a bathroom just around the corner! Jen saw him in his 'bibidees.' "
RYAN TSUJI
(volunteer, manager, interim assistant, 2001-2008)
"Before the days of DVR and Tivo, Dave would often miss many of his favorite TV shows whenever the team traveled on the road or when we had games scheduled for a weeknight. Believe or not, one of my responsibilities during that first year was to make sure that I taped all of Dave's favorite programs, including shows like The Practice and ER. Because I didn't travel with the team back then, I would often get calls from the airport from Dave instructing and reminding me about the shows that I would have to tape on a VHS. Before I learned how to set the timer on my VCR to tape these programs, I would have to sacrifice time with friends so that I could stay in my dorm to manually tape Dave's shows.In college athletics, there is a practice of tape exchange where coaches trade tapes of game film to help in the scouting of another team. However, with Dave and I, our tape exchange had nothing to do with the team or even volleyball for that matter. 'Till today, I still get those phone calls requesting my assistance in random areas.Thankfully, Dave knows how to operate his DVR now, but every once in awhile, I'll still get that call asking me, 'Ryan, it's Dave. Do you know where my clipboard is?'"
