As the sports world turns its collective attention to the Olympics, Hilo’s Casey Poe has a few words of advice for all the athletes and fans convening in Rio: travel in groups, see the sights and have a blast. ADVERTISING
As the sports world turns its collective attention to the Olympics, Hilo’s Casey Poe has a few words of advice for all the athletes and fans convening in Rio: travel in groups, see the sights and have a blast.
That’s what Poe did.
The 2014 Kamehameha graduate just returned from Brazil after playing with the USA-D3 women’s basketball team.
“Rio is a beautiful place and the trip was awesome,” she said. “I saw a lot of things that reminded me of Hawaii.”
Much of the news recently surrounding the Rio Summer Olympics — the Zika virus, poor water quality, rampant crime and the threat of terror — aren’t exactly images of paradise.
But the snapshots Poe took with her home are mostly positive.
Of course, she and the rest of her teammates took precautions, especially Poe, who was one of the few players on the team that didn’t travel to the Southern Hemisphere with family.
“I heard about all the dangers going in, but I put on mosquito repellent and (wore) appropriate clothing,” she said. “We didn’t go out alone.
“I had a great time, but I wouldn’t want to go to Rio alone. When we went to the beach, they told us not leave our belongings behind.”
On Monday, a biomedical expert advised Olympics athletes not to put their head under water.
Poe didn’t, partly because the Atlantic Ocean temperatures were cooler than she was used to.
“I never submerged myself, but my teammates definitely did,” she said.
Officially, the games begin Friday with the opening ceremony, but soccer Wednesday kicked off the games.
“We saw some of the venues they are going to use, and as far as I could tell they are prepared for it,” Poe said.
When Poe was last seen playing competitively on the Big Island, she was a dominating inside post presence, leading Kamehameha to consecutive HHSAA Division II championships as the BIIF Player of the Year.
At Division III Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, the 5-10 Poe, set to enter her junior year, has successfully made the transition to point guard. Last season, she averaged 11.8 points per game. She’s studying art and is considering getting her masters degree in education.
“I knew I’d have to adjust my style of play after leaving (Kamehameha), but I didn’t think I’d be going from a 5 (center) to a 1 (point guard),” she said.
On the court in Rio, Team USA got used to playing by international rules and finished 2-2 after shrugging off a major case of jet lag in their first loss.
“They don’t call traveling, and it’s OK to be physical. They let a lot more go in international ball,” she said.
Off the court, the D3 team stayed on the famed Copacabana Beach and played tourist, visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue.
“Just be beware and have caution and have fun,” she said.
The rest of the world is up next.
