The Gifted One

Kanani Danielson will leave numbers littered through Rainbow Wahine record books when she goes. Not one will accurately describe her contribution to Hawaii volleyball. Taking all of them into consideration might not come close.

"It really is impossible to say what is best in her game," said UCLA coach Mike Sealy, who formed a bond with Danielson when he coached her in club and for two years at UH. "She is borderline flawless in all components of the game except for maybe serving. … She is a shutdown blocker, plays ridiculous defense, has attacking power and range, can pass half the court and in addition to that, is a leader that takes tons of pressure off the players around her."

There is no way to measure instincts and inspiration. No software program could define Danielson's versatility. There is no formal stat for relentlessly bettering the ball or prolonging points that should have ended. The fact that Danielson has made it all look so easy over the course of her All-American career only makes a realistic description more impossible.

She and her sixth-ranked Wahine teammates close out their Western Athletic Conference regular season tonight against Louisiana Tech and Saturday against New Mexico State. Senior Night will be celebrated after that final match, with Hawaii saying aloha to Chanteal Satele, Alex Griffiths and Danielson.

At that point, UH coach Dave Shoji will officially have to begin thinking about replacing the one who cannot be replaced.

ALL-AROUND SKILLS

There are six basic volleyball skills. Shoji believes Danielson might be among the top five in Wahine history at every one but serving. That's only because … well, even Danielson gets tired.

More tired than most, actually. Her body retains heat because she does not sweat, a condition first diagnosed near the end of her high school career. There are times Danielson has to come out and soak her head with ice water so she doesn't suffer heat stroke.

It will never be Shoji's choice.

"We can never replace her," he said. "We can't get any kind of combination that would be just as good, no way. We will lose a little all the way around."

Hawaii will suffer next year in places most people will never look, one reason Shoji finds it so difficult to articulate Danielson's gifts to national player of the year committees.

"The unfortunate thing is that what she is great at will not show up in box scores — passing and defense," he said. "All the other numbers you can define and compare, but no one in the country can do all she does. Unless they look at those intangible things, which are really hard to look at."

One stark example came during the spring season, when "Kanani was being Kanani" and digging absolutely everything at a scrimmage, without breaking a sweat, literally or figuratively. Shoji claims she is in the right place "about 90 percent of the time, it's uncanny," but this went somewhere beyond.

"Dave turned to me," recalled former associate coach Kari Ambrozich, "and said ‘Do you think Kanani knows where the hitter is going to hit before the hitter does?' "

In a word, yes.

"Most of the time I'm pretty accurate," Danielson said. "Once the set is dished to a hitter I look at their eyes and their body. I already know their tendencies — the whole point of a coach's scouting report is what they like to hit. A lot of it holds true if you are ready for it. It's not that they will hit right at you, but you try to make it like that by just reading from that perspective."

EVERYONE SEES SOMETHING GREAT

Ask a dozen people the best part of Danielson's game and you will get a dozen answers, with all kinds of asterisks.

Some are strictly technical. UH setter Mita Uiato wishes she had more time to appreciate Danielson's defense. Freshman Jane Croson craves the footwork and communication that make her such a great passer.

Junior Brittany Hewitt, who has become close with Danielson's family, is in awe of her ability to "read everything that's going on" and cover an entire court. Satele has coveted Danielson's instincts since they first played together as fifth-graders at Word of Life.

Former Kamehameha teammates Caitlin Andrade and Alex Akana, who play for San Jose State, most appreciate Danielson's inspiration and humility. They also bring up some of the same talents opposing coaches talk about: Love of the game and a willingness to put her team on her shoulders.

San Jose State coach Oscar Crespo points to Danielson's growing ability to lead at crucial moments: "If she had a choice at that point," he said, "she'd pass, set and get the kill herself."

Idaho's Debbie Buchanan calls her dynamic, particularly on offense, but her most vivid memory is of the UH senior launching herself into the media table to take a point away at Idaho this season.

"It got her team some momentum and energy," Buchanan recalled. "It was a great play. She's that type of player that will just go through a wall for you."

And walk back out smiling. After Danielson destroyed Utah State in Logan her sophomore year, hitting .446 with 32 kills, coach Grayson DuBose never mentioned numbers.

"To me, besides the obvious physical skills she has — athleticism, jumping ability and power, those are no-brainers — she looks like she just loves playing volleyball," DuBose said. "It is a part of who she is. If she wasn't playing for Hawaii she would be out at the beach playing with family and friends. She just looks like she loves what she is doing. In this day and age, that makes her unique."

LOVE OF THE GAME

She grew up with the game. Mother Melanie played for Leilehua. Late grandfather, "Tutu" Henry Pang, first noticed Kanani's exceptional talents. He would bring her early to games so they could play pepper "no matter how old he was." Her first wave during TV introductions is always to her other grandparents, Kanani and Gilbert Lewis.

She eventually chose volleyball over softball and basketball because "I just loved how involved everybody is. It's a crazy mental game where you have to be able to read people. … You just have to be an animal out there for your team."

Nothing could be further from the truth off the court, where Danielson is approachable and looks everyone in the eye.

"What makes her special is the respect she has for the sport and for being an athlete," Sealy said. "Volleyball isn't an ego boost that she uses to validate her existence. It is a vehicle that she uses to inspire others. She loves the game, her teammates, the fans and the people of Hawaii and knows that this is the God-given talent that she was given to show everybody the love she has for them. I was constantly impressed and inspired by her and miss the time I had with her. It is rare that the best player in the gym is the one that wants to improve the most."

She will play more, it is just a matter of when and where — what overseas professional team and position.

Her offense has been startling for someone so small (5 feet 11) by today's standards. She has averaged four kills and hit .300 her entire career despite being some four inches shorter than the other hitters who were first-team All-Americans last season. Her athleticism and work ethic, which includes hours of film on opposing players and some midnight YouTube sessions watching the best players in the world "murder the ball," also allow Hawaii to let her go one-on-one as a blocker.

But you get the feeling she could be the best libero on the planet — and U.S. national team — if she put her mind to it. Even she admits "defense is my passion."

She has time to decide. For now, Saturday could be the final time Hawaii gets to see her play.

"I would just sit back and soak it all in," said Lee Ann Satele, Chanteal's mom. "Appreciate all that Kanani brings to the game, 'cause she does it all."