As the second-ranked Kamehameha girls softball team attempts to secure its first state title since 2008, it may come as a surprise to learn that one of the squad’s senior leaders spent the latter part of the offseason away from the softball field.

In fact, Kaya Naiwi spent the majority of her winter on the water.

Naiwi joined the school’s outrigger canoe paddling program, and in just her first year participating in the sport, she earned a spot on Kamehameha’s varsity II crew that ended up winning four of six races en route to claiming the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship. In addition to claiming gold in her final opportunity at the prep level, the cross-training involved with paddling afforded Naiwi an opportunity to improve her strength and conditioning as she transitioned to softball.

"We actually do a lot of running during the paddling season, so it helped me in that area and it also helped me build muscle in my back and arms," Naiwi said. "When you’re paddling, you don’t get to stop at all. You have to go until you reach the finish line, so that helped to push me."

Naiwi is one of Kamehameha’s four seniors on the softball squad, and supplies the lineup with power out of the fifth spot in the batting order as her four home runs on the season suggest.

"Kaya leads by example, and while she’s not a typical vocal leader that you may see, she lets her offensive game do a lot of the talking as one of our power hitters," said Aloha Yamaguchi, Kamehameha’s fourth-year head coach.

"She’s definitely one that can go deep. If she’s going to swing, she swings hard."

In her thirdyear as a member of the varsity squad, Naiwi has settled in at second base, where she has improved, especially when it comes to taking appropriate routes to corral ground balls.

Naiwi credits playing for the Island Athletes softball team in the summer for her development prior to the senior campaign. The squad traveled to San Jose, Calif., to participate in tournaments there.

"It was a different experience because teams we faced up there were a lot more challenging than competition we’re used to playing against here," said Naiwi, who has been playing softball since age 8. "I just tried to improve my game and get ready for the high school season."

Naiwi also excels in the classroom, and has balanced her workload to the tune of a 3.3 cumulative grade-point average. The student-athlete explains that she has developed a passion for English and "loves to write," and that she plans to major in journalism before eventually pursuing a career in teaching.

She has received attention from multiple colleges, including Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, N.C., where she would be able to continue playing softball at the collegiate level.

"I think I want to be a teacher, and create a class where I can make learning English fun," Naiwi said.

Following a three-year absence from state tournament play, the Warriors made it back to the tourney last season and finished fourth after losing to eventual state runner-up Campbell in the semifinals. Kamehameha, which won eight state titles between 1985 and 2008, is attempting to regain its championship form.

With six regular-season games remaining, including an important clash with second-place Maryknoll (10-2) on Tuesday, Kamehameha has maintained possession of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu lead with a 9-1 mark. The Warriors bounced back from a 5-3 loss to third-place Punahou (8-3) on Thursday by downing a tough ‘Iolani squad on Saturday, 5-3.

"This season has gone really well; we’ve bonded. I’ve never played with a team that has meshed as well as we have," Naiwi said. "Everyone has the heart to play, and we’re continuing to work on getting better."

While the league’s top two teams earn spots in the state tourney, the Warriors would benefit by taking the ILH crown; the champion earns an automatic berth into the state field as well as a first-round bye as one of four seeded teams. Earning the ILH championship would also allow the Warriors to avoid playing in the league’s postseason tournament, through which the remaining league teams must vie for the second state berth.

"We start with small goals, and first we want to win the ILH, but everyone’s main goal is to win states," Naiwi said. "It’s very important for me. Especially with it being my senior year, I want to follow through with what we’ve built. I’m dedicating everything to my team, and I want to pull through for them. I want to go big for my team this year."