Trevor Hirata found the perfect fit with golf, which requires discipline and poise — two intangibles the Waiakea senior carries in his back pocket.
He’s worked hard to capture the last two BIIF championships and hold a 3.85 grade-point average, and his production has paid off.
Hirata recently signed a scholarship with the University of Hawaii, where he’ll be in a best of both worlds situation — close to home but off on his own.
“My mom’s family is on Oahu,” he said. “I get to venture out on my own, and my family is close by. It’s a relief to know where I’m going to college already.”
Hirata served as his own recruiting coordinator, emailing scores to UH coach Ronn Miyashiro, who’s from Hilo.
Landing a scholarship wasn’t exactly duck soup for Hirata, who plans to major in biology and enter the medical field.
Like all the youngsters who grew up in the Big Island Junior Golf Association, Hirata understood early that practice is a requirement for improvement, and discipline is the key to performing the same task day after day.
“It takes a lot of work, a lot of practice and sacrifice,” he said. “I have an exercise regimen, schedules to follow, and a lot of things go into fine-tuning my game.”
His personal swing coach is Troy Tamiya, who is also an assistant at UH-Hilo, where his dad Earl Tamiya is the coach.
The two Tamiya coaches and their connection to Hirata is a good example of the old Hilo adage: Everybody knows everybody in a three degrees of Kevin Bacon sort of way.
One of Hirata’s golfing buddies and rivals is Kamehameha senior Preston Ching, who signed with the Vulcans. Another Hirata pal is teammate Shon Katahira, a Waiakea junior.
The Vuls host the Amer Ari Invitational in February at Waikoloa. The Rainbow Warriors are an annual opponent. Hirata and Ching will be friendly rivals for years to come.
Both have one more BIIF season, which starts in March. Waiakea is the two-time defending league champion. Kamehameha has never won a BIIF team title.
“My goal is to win the BIIF team title again,” Hirata said. “I also want to better my scoring average, keep it below par. That will take practice and a lot of work on my mental game to keep level-headed through the whole round.”
Hirata points to Tamiya for helping in the poise department, where hitting a golf ball is all about routine. The tougher deal is hitting a golf ball after a bad shot.
“He helps to keep your head on the right way, level-head,” Hirata said. “He believes in my game and that reminds me if you have one bad shot there are many other shots you still have on the course.”
Poise works best when it is shadowed by a humble nature, something Hirata’s parents, Gregg and Leanne, always pushed.
“They’ve told me to stay humble,” he said. “It’s helped me on the course and in life.”
At Waiakea, Hirata is in the Spanish and Interact Clubs and the National Honor Society. The Spanish Club sings to preschoolers in Spanish, and he does beach cleanups with the Interact Club.
“I like helping the community. It’s a way to give back,” he said.
Hirata practices six or seven times a week with Tamiya. With constant fine-tuning, Hirata has turned a weakness — putting — into a strength.
He can also drive the ball 280 to 285 yards, not bad for someone who is 5 feet 7. Hirata notes that long distance is a result of a lot of practice.
His best times come when he plays with his buddies, Ching and Katahira, for fun. It’s an escape, even though they’re still trying to beat each other.
“Golf is so challenging and it keeps you motivated,” Hirata said. “You can always do better. There’s always room for improvement. But it’s also fun. It’s a good place for me to hang out with my friends, play 18 holes and relax.”
