Windward Prep Stars Hop Onto Chaminade Soccer Bandwagon
The women’s college soccer season has only begun, but Chaminade’s “Kaneohe Connection” already is having an impact, to hear head coach Michelle Richardson tell it.
Seniors Shayla Hosaka and Jill Hara have been among the Silverswords’ most consistent performers to date – especially as leaders. “Shayla is a captain, and Jill is a leader by example,” Richardson said of the pair, both Castle High standouts in their prep days. “When we’re doing very difficult drills in practice, Jill is one who will go back, even though she’s exhausted herself, and encourage the other girls to finish the drill hard.
“Both girls worked out together this summer,” she added. “They both have huge hearts. They try so hard; they would do anything for their team.”
Hara already has emerged as one of the team’s individual success stories, having cracked the starting lineup this fall for the first time in her college career. “For her to get to a place where her hard work is paying off is neat,” Richardson said of Hara, a defender. “This summer, she worked really hard. Her goal was to come in fit and ready to play. She’s a real hard worker, and she’s always very, very positive. She hustles, and she listens, and she wants to take direction. Being fit is a real benefit in college, and she’s increased her speed and her strength, which was her goal.”
Hosaka, who also competes on the Chaminade tennis team in the spring, has been in the starting lineup for every game of her college soccer career, a streak that stood at 54 games heading into last weekend. She is a mid-fielder this season. “She’s a bright kid who is coachable and who takes direction well,” Richardson said.
In her first year rebuilding the Chaminade program after a highly successful stint as head coach at Kalani High, Richardson is recruiting players for future teams at Chaminade, and the student-athletes on the Windward side are much on her radar. “There are always good athletes on the Windward side,” she said. “There’s good competitive spirit among the kids in Kailua and Kaneohe that we like to see in our own program.”
In addition to Hosaka and Hara, former Kailua stand-out Janell Alameida is a freshman goalkeeper on the Chaminade team.
Chaminade is currently on its PacWest road trip, which will see the team play against Dixie State, Point Loma Nazarene, Azusa Pacific and California Baptist. The Silverswords begin a three-game home stand Oct. 14.
