Kahala-Minczer inspires, leads Nanakuli wrestling

Nanakuli, the community, has produced some athletes who performed mightily on international stages. Boxer Jesus Salud, sumotori Salevaa Atisanoe and baseball player Vonn Feao come to mind quickly. All world champions.

But Nanakuli, the high school? It takes longer to think of big-name athletes who played for the Golden Hawks. When it comes to sports, Nanakuli has unwillingly served mostly as a feeder to surrounding public schools and private schools in town, for decades.

An exception comes about now and then, like the 1983 football team that won the OIA championship and nearly upset Saint Louis in the Prep Bowl, falling 15-12. Or three-time state wrestling champion Ashley Gaspar.

"We have wonderful youth programs, but a lot of the kids find other opportunities at schools outside the area. They are highly recruited," Nanakuli wrestling coach Aika Makaula said. "Now we have to fight off Kapolei, too."

My most vivid memories of great Nanakuli athletes are inspirational performers Wendell Cullen, a one-handed starter in baseball, football and basketball, and Chelsey-Ann Kaimi, the first girl to score a touchdown in state high school history.

Today, another Nanakuli athlete who has overcome obstacles goes for a state wrestling championship at 155 pounds. Her name is Joslynn Kahala-Minczer. Her story is multi-faceted. The best part of it is that she picked Nanakuli over other schools.

"When I came from the Big Island, I was given options: Radford, Pearl City, Nanakuli, Kapolei. I asked which is the big wrestling school. The answer was Pearl City. The small (wrestling) school? Nanakuli," Joslynn recalled, after winning her two early-round matches Friday. "I chose Nanakuli. I wanted to help a few people and expand it from there, be a part of something that is growing."

She had placed eighth in states in 2010 while at Kealakehe … despite a tumultuous living situation that sometimes meant no food to eat and no house in which to sleep.

"Many times. There were times we slept at the beach, in cars, in tents," Joslynn said, speaking of her family’s life on the Big Island. "No food sometimes. My mom had a job, but with three kids it was hard."

She has had six different guardians. Joslynn said even after she moved to Oahu there were residual effects from the instability.

"There was a period of time (two years ago) when I was depressed because of the whole situation and went about a week and a half without feeding myself," she said. "I would only eat when my family was watching."

Joslynn said the fasting had nothing to do with making wrestling weight or body image, and that she is happy and healthy now.

Recently she wrote an essay about her struggles and successes, and it earned the Nanakuli wrestling program a $1,000 award.

"Joslynn is a great leader. We just follow her footsteps and she inspires us," said her teammate, Heather Thomas. "When we wrestle and don’t win, we don’t stay down long, we know there’s a next time. We know that because of everything she’s been through."

Junior Army ROTC is also a big part of Joslynn’s life; she is command sergeant major of Nanakuli’s battalion of cadets, and has already sworn in to the National Guard and will go to basic training after graduation from Nanakuli. Her goal is to wrestle in college and become an Army officer.

The 3.4 grade-point-average student already has an offer from Midland University in Nebraska.

BEFORE COLLEGE and the army, there is today at the Blaisdell Arena. Joslynn, the OIA champion, is seeded second. If she wins her semifinal she will likely face No. 1 seed Tiara Kaye of Punahou. If that matchup comes about, Joslynn will be an underdog.

"She’s overcome a lot in the last few years of her life, moving around from foster home to foster home," Makaula said. "Situations don’t intimidate her."

Joslynn took all three rounds to eventually pin both opponents Friday. In the quarterfinals, she fell behind in points early to Tekau Taamu of Lahainaluna after getting dazed by an inadvertent poke to her left eye.

"I kind of couldn’t see out of it for a while, but it turned out OK," she said. "I like to take some time to learn the opponent, anyway."

Said Makaula: "Technically, she’s a real defensive wrestler. It drives me crazy sometimes."

"But she always ends up in the right spot to take advantage of an opponent’s weakness," added assistant coach Ray Gomes.

Win or lose, Joslynn Kahala-Minczer will remain the pride of Nanakuli, for all she has accomplished on and off the mat despite the challenges.

A great athlete and inspirational leader who chose to become a Golden Hawk.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.