WAIMEA — Hawaii Prep girls volleyball coach Daena Craven has one central theme in mind ahead of the new season: togetherness.
After a successful 2022 campaign where Ka Makani finished 16-6 overall and placed sixth in the Division II state playoffs, the veteran head coach has taken a new approach to help build off its recent success and reach new heights — which starts with wanting her group to play more as a whole and having every player hold each other accountable.
“Last year, I think everybody had their own ideas of what things should look like,” Craven said. “So I’m hoping this year we can really work together — now, we’re definitely more cohesive.
“I know that these are real coachable girls.”
With less than two weeks until HPA’s opener against St. Joseph’s, Craven’s preseason plan has worked. Not only has she noticed a more unified balance within the team on the court, but that her group is attacking previous weaknesses early.
“I think we’re ahead of where we were last year,” she said. “We have the girls play different positions and do things that wouldn’t be their first choice, which I think will make us overall stronger. We really have some competitive practices.”
“When we have a weakness, we work on that more than anything else and rely on each other to overcome it,” junior utility Maile Imonen said. “To have a good hit, you need a good setup.”
In terms of on-court strategy, both Craven and the players agreed that defense will be a key factor to hone in on early in the season.
“We’re really focusing on defense and our movements,” Craven said. “And I’m hoping that that’s what sets us apart.”
“With good defense, you can build strong confidence,” Imonen added.
Aligning with Ka Makani’s close-knit culture, Craven explained that there isn’t one specific player she’s looking to help carry the load when times get tough on the court.
Instead, Craven sees all of her players as equal contributors — which she believes gives the team a stark advantage over other schools.
“Everyone’s important and everyone’s valued, so we need everyone to be on the same page,” she said. “We worked on this a lot last year — that it’s not about one person, but it’s really about the entire team.”
However, Craven expressed excitement about setter Brooke Samura’s opportunity to serve as one of HPA’s main leaders during her senior season. Samura views it as a chance to mentor the younger girls on the squad, as she was on the other side of the equation just a few years ago.
“Coming up and learning from different girls (previously), it gives me a good opportunity to give back to all the younger players, so they can do the same when they get to their senior year,” Samura explained.
“We have a lot of freshmen on the team now, so as they get more comfortable with how the (high school) game goes, we’ll get better,” she continued.
No matter how the season unfolds, Craven views the next few months as an opportunity for her girls to be competitive, but more importantly make memories that will carry on throughout their lifetimes.
“I want to play at the highest level, but I want us to have fun,” she said. “I think the memories that we create as a team are just as important as winning or losing.”
HPA will begin its season Aug. 30 against St. Joseph’s at home.