By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Like his baseball brothers Kolten and Kean Wong, hard work is a hobby for Chayce Ka‘aua, the University of Hawaii sophomore catcher, who hit the weight room with a passion during the offseason.
The 2013 Hilo graduate redshirted his first year and batted .260 with 16 RBIs and a team second-best .351 on-base percentage last season. He played in 47 of 53 games for the Rainbow Warriors (21-32).
Ka‘aua weighed 180 pounds last year and now carries a muscular 200 pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame while maintaining his flexibility.
His parents, Rayce and Christy Ka‘aua, can be proud that’s not his only area of improvement. Ka‘aua, a family resources major, is carrying a 3.0 grade-point average.
“Having a little more weight definitely helps me in hitting for more power. I notice the ball jumping off my bat a little more,” he said. “For my first season playing, I was kind of nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect. I saw a lot my redshirt year (in 2014) and studied the game a lot, but nothing compares to being out there on the field. It’s a whole different beast.
“But I think I’m a lot smarter baseball-wise this year, and I know how to go after pitchers and how to study them better.”
The Rainbow Warriors open their season against UH-Hilo at 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Wong Stadium. It’s the first meeting since 2008 and first opener at Wong since 1985.
In a series that spans 31 seasons and 128 games, the Rainbow Warriors have dominated the Vuls, 108-20, including 46-7 in games in Hilo.
UH freshman outfielder Kobi Candaroma, a 2015 Kamehameha graduate, will also be making the trip over. JJ Kitaoka, a 2013 Konawaena graduate, has left the team to concentrate on academics, UH coach Mike Trapasso said.
“It’s definitely a good feeling playing back at Wong,” Ka‘aua said. “It’s where I grew up playing ball, so it’s nice to play in front of the hometown, and it gives a chance for my family and friends to watch me and my team play in person.”
The last couple of years the Rainbow Warriors have had difficulty filling out their 56-game schedule because of the NCAA-mandated later season starting date, so Trapasso gave a shout-out to UHH coach Kallen Miyataki.
“We’re excited and very thankful and appreciative of coach Kal to allow us to come over,” Trapasso said. “It’s fun going to the Big Island because we’ve got a couple of kids from Hilo, where some of our best supporters are from. We get to take our team on the road and experience the travel part, and it will help us later in the season.
“But primarily it’s to show our appreciation for what the Big Island has done for our program. There’s no question what Kolten and his dad Kaha have done for our program. Since then, we’ve had guys on the team like Quintin Torres-Costa, Chayce and Kobi.”
Wong impact
There’s an old joke that the local Hilo community’s favorite TV show is any UH sport playing on OC16, home of the Rainbow Warriors.
That’s been a recruiting trump card for Trapasso, who’s been able to lure the Big Island’s best talent to Manoa.
One of the BIIF’s top players, Hilo junior shortstop Joey Jarneski, is a verbal commit to the Rainbow Warriors.
Another vital connection is coach Kaha Wong, whose hitting school behind Target is a hotbed for player development. He’s landed over 60 college scholarships for his students.
“There is no doubt in my mind that without coach Kaha teaching me about baseball and working on my swing throughout my life I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Ka‘aua said. “He is a great hitting coach and always goes out of his way to help me and all the other boys he works with.”
Then Trapasso noted the obvious: Wong sharpens talent and other important intangibles as well.
“You look at the results with the talent, and that’s obvious. You look at the kids we’ve gotten from the Big Island and the work ethic they have, and that allows them to excel with their talent,” he said. “I think that’s a credit to them, no question. Coach Kaha deserves a great deal of credit for developing the guys he works with. He’s a tremendous coach and tremendous developer of kids on the mental side. They all come in with a focus, work ethic and mental toughness. That’s all something very helpful for kids to get into Division I baseball.”
Right at home
When the youngsters get Ka‘aua’s autograph after the game, they’ll see the evidence of his hard work. His dad, Rayce, is built like a pitbull; his son now looks the same.
But what Trapasso has enjoyed is watching Ka‘aua develop in other areas, those important intangibles.
“We’re seeing all his hard work in the weight room in physical development, but his makeup in the emotional and mental parts are fun to watch, too,” Trapasso said. “He has a focus to be a team leader. I’m expecting him to do a good job on defense, catching and putting pressure on guys to perform and lead the pitching staff.
“He’s a very grounded young man. His focus is on wanting to be a good teammate.”
Kolten Wong, the St. Louis Cardinals second baseman, and Kean Wong, the Tampa Bay Rays’ farmhand, have been two of the Big Island’s best role models for the reward of hard work.
Ka‘aua pointed out that Kolten Wong established the Big Island to Manoa pipeline, one reason the 2008 Kamehameha graduate is the Big Island’s favorite son on the sports landscape.
It also helped that Kolten Wong was in the TV homes of the local community for three glorious years, 2009 to 2011, all winning seasons and postseason appearances.
“Well, it all starts off with Kolten. He really opened the eyes of scouts and showed that the Big Island has really good baseball players, too,” Ka‘aua said. “Ever since Kolten went to UH, I knew that there was nowhere else I would rather go to play ball. It can’t get any better than to play for a Division I team and represent your home state at the same time.
“I’m glad I had the opportunity to play with ‘Q’ and now Kobi. It’s really good for the Big Island, and it shows the Big Island’s younger kids that you can play anywhere you want if you just work hard and believe. It makes a lot of Big Island players want to come to Manoa.”
With Jarneski soon to be in the fold and Trapasso’s eyes on the Big Island’s next crop of talent, the pipeline should keep flowing.
“We signed some really good young players from the Big Island, and they will definitely help in the future of Rainbow Warrior baseball,” Ka‘aua said. “And there will be a lot more good players coming out of coach Kaha’s Big Island Baseball organization in the future, too.”