Amber Waracka was a star pitcher at Kamehameha-Kapalama before enjoying a standout career at UH-Hilo that ended in 2012. Since then, she’s entrenched herself as a middle school teacher in the area, and somewhere along the way she established a user-friendly philosophy that serves her well as Hilo High’s second-year softball coach.
Waracka only worries about one goal: Be the best you can be, Vikings.
After a clear rebuilding season in 2018, Hilo’s season-opener Saturday at Keaau was a success, in part because of improved fundamentals and defense.
None of that mattered Wednesday against Waiakea, not with the way the Warriors walloped the ball to all corners of Walter Victor Stadium. Alize Ka’apana slammed a three-run home run and finished with six RBIs, and Kelsie Imai, Jolene Hirata and Lyndsey-Mae Carvalho also collected three hits apiece as Waiakea cruised a 19-4 TKO victory in a BIIF softball game at Walter Victor complex.
“Waiakea is a really strong hitting team,” Waracka said. “They know how to use their bats to their advantage. They did that today. They saw their opportunity and took advantage.”
No matter, the Vikings (1-1) will be back hard at work at practice, backed by a coaching staff that also includes two other former college players, Cy Fernandez, who was the Vulcans’ ace last season, and Gayla Ha-Cabebe, a 2014 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate who played at Kentucky State.
“I chose them because we played and know the sport better, maybe, than someone who is older,” Waracka said. “Because we have the experience of playing at the college level, they listen to us. We can help build them up so they can possibly play (in college) to.”
Hilo claimed consecutive three BIIF Division I titles from 2012-2014, but since then the Vikings have yet to reach the state tournament – under three different coaches – and all the while Waiakea has reeled off four championships in a row with Bo Saiki at the helm.
Waracka is focused more on personal growth than wins and losses.
“Yeah, there are times you want to jump in the game,” Waracka said, “but the thing is these girls are doing really well. They’ve been working hard and listening really well.
“Since we started working in February, I’ve already seen improvement. Our goal isn’t to have perfect players. It’s to have improvement to have them be the best they can be.”
Hilo finished last in the D-I standings in 2018 at an uncharacteristic 2-13, but a 7-2 victory against the Cougars on Saturday represented something of a turnaround. Waracka credited pitcher Chalisse Kela for her work in the circle, saying, “We took advantage of some errors that were made and were extremely aggressive.”
On Wednesday, Waiakea (2-0) made its at-bats count against Kela, finishing with 17 hits – nine of them for extra bases – against two pitchers.
Imai would have had a two-run home run, but she skipped over home plate and was called out and credited with an RBI triple to go along with two doubles. Carvalho also doubled twice and drove in two runs, Johnacy Mackwelung was 2 for 4 with a run-scoring double and two RBIs, Kayla Kodani hit a two-run double, and Hirata has yet to be retired this season after finishing 3 for 3, including a double, with three runs scored and three RBIs.
Ka’apana singled in a run as Waiakea scored nine times in the second, she cleared the fence with two aboard in the third and added a two-run single in the fourth as the Warriors tacked on six runs.
The Vikings scored three runs in the first without the benefit of a hit as Tristen Cullio struggled with her control, but Imai came on and allowed two hits and a run with three walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Waracka said she coaches to fill her “obsession” with softball and “live vicariously through her players.”
“We have a lot of seniors and they are doing a good job with the younger players,” she said. “Eventually, they are going to be taking over. The team all works to get better.”
Don’t get Waracka wrong, part of her remains a fierce competitor, but part of her also gets a kick out of seeing other players on the Big Island grow.
“It’s great to see, because teams from the Big Island are becoming a bigger threat,” she said. “Teams from Oahu don’t pay attention to us, but we’re coming to get them.”
