By KEVIN JAKAHI
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Madi Lee understands she can only do so much for the Hawaii Prep volleyball team, which despite returning all its starters depends on her a great deal to influence the offense and defense.
The 6-foot-1 senior middle blocker and 5-9 junior outside hitter Gemma Palleschi were All-BIIF Division II first team picks last season and carried the resourceful Ka Makani to their third consecutive league runner-up finish.
Only Lee plays club volleyball, mostly with Hoopa and one stint with the Piopio Bears, who competed in the AAU national championships over the summer in Florida.
Her Ka Makani teammates don’t have the seasoning that shows in her detailed game.
For example with the Piopio Bears, Lee sharpened her one-set attacks, a low and quick set to the middle, where the hitter takes off right in front of the setter. Though she’s got a tall, lanky frame, Lee drops low and has a solid platform when passing from the back row.
“Madi is a blocking and hitting force,” Ka Makani coach Sharon Peterson said. “She and Gemma will carry the offense. You can count on them.”
It won’t be unusual to see Lee and Palleschi tag team for 90 or 70 percent of the offensive attacks.
At the HHSAA tournament last year, Lee and Palleschi combined for 80 of HPA’s 113 swings or 71 percent in a first-round, four-set loss to Kapaa.
The last time HPA captured the BIIF Division II title was in 2013 when Lee was in the eighth grade. That year, Konawaena defeated HPA to claim the first of its two state championships.
It’s a good a time as any to make a run for a league title because Lee, setter Kiai Lindsey, libero Julia Perry, middle Tess Savage, and outside hitter Claire Henderson are all seniors. Bianca Shropshire, another middle, is also a senior.
“That (BIIF title) is not in my mind. We’re far away,” said Peterson, who lives by the motto: One match at a time.
Still, the door may be open more than ever, considering that Keaau upset Konawaena in five sets on Tuesday. The Wildcats have two returning starters in hitters Cherilyn Molina and McKayla Ventura. Sophomore middle blocker Anastasia Tuifua transferred to Kealakehe, but Malie Grace is filling her shoes.
“I think we could win BIIFs. We’ll see when we get there,” said Lee, mindful of her team’s history, which includes 11 straight trips to states.
She counts Peterson, Hoopa and Konawaena coach Ainsley Keawekane, and Piopio Bears coach Laura Thompson as her biggest influences.
Lee, who has a 3.96 GPA, relied on the website ncsasports.org to hook up with Haverford (Pa.) College and Williamette (Salem, Ore.), which is coached by Tom Shoji, brother of recently retired UH Wahine coach Dave Shoji.
“Coach Shoji knows Sharon,” Lee said. “The best thing about playing for Sharon is the mental toughness you develop. You are able to stay strong when you’re losing to the other team or you made a mistake. You are able to lift your teammates up when they forget to shake the last play off.
“She taught me that my thoughts are my own, and it’s up to me to choose what I do with them. I can give in to the negative thoughts and give up, or I can push them aside and choose to not listen to them. Thoughts come and go, but you choose which ones to hold on to.”
That’s sound advice from Peterson, the former UH-Hilo coach, who won seven national championships and has always emphasized teaching life lessons as part of her coaching.
It worked on Lee, who plans to major in psychology in college because of Peterson’s influence.
“She’s helped me a lot,” Lee said. “She’s been my gateway into psychology.”
Lee’s other side
Her parents are Kyuwon Lee, a retired Marine who works as a pilot for Hawaii Life Flight and Mokulele Airlines, and Denise, a registered nurse at HPA’s infirmary.
Her parents have considerably influenced Lee as well. She noted that they give her pertinent life lessons and daily reminders.
“They always tell me to think about how my choices may affect me or others in the future. And they tell me to clean my room,” said Lee, her sense of humor in full bloom.
She also has an animal lover’s side. She tends to her chickens, and they allow Lee to hold and pet them. It goes without saying that Lee called them so cute.
Like the typical teenager, Lee has her list of favorite activities: hanging out with friends, going to the movies and cruising on a paddleboard on occasion.
At HPA, she has two AP classes (statistics and psychology) and a burdensome workload but relies on her efficient time management to get things done.
When Lee has a bit of free time, she writes stories and poems and has a 1,100 audience on a free story sharing website, wattpad.com.
HPA comfort
But back to Ka Makani volleyball, which grows by big leaps when the postseason is around the corner.
So often, Peterson’s teams are governed by mental toughness and teamwork. Lee, Palleschi, and company are no different from the last 11 editions.
“The players on the team are very friendly with each other,” Lee said. “We hang out together. We know we support each other and back each other up.
“Gemma is one of our big hitters on the outside. When she catches fire, she’s blazing. She’s always smiling. She’s kind of laid-back, too.”
For her part, Lee just wants to be a good influence for her teammates. She enjoys her time at HPA, where she was greeted with aloha. That’s a good thought she can hold on to.
“I hope to be a strong leader and a good role model to show the next ones in line the work you’re supposed to do,” she said. “I moved here in the beginning of eighth grade from southern California. Coming from a public school system into a private school system was shocking. The work load was much bigger and the expectations were much higher.
“The size of the classes were a fraction of the size at my old schools. Everyone was very welcoming and helped me adjust fast. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”
