Power Generator

Living without running water and electricity is just a way of life for Adora Anae. The Kahuku outside hitter and her family embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle in their Punaluu home, which includes living off a generator and installing a catchment system for their water supply.

"My parents wanted a life for us to grow up as appreciating the environment we live in so we’d be prepared if anything happens," Anae said. "That’s how they wanted to raise us."

Anae, a 6-foot-1 senior, excitedly added that they just hooked up a new sink that uses water from the catchment. She also describes the types of vegetables and fruits growing around the property, such as breadfruit, mountain apples, bananas and a taro patch.

"Growing up in that lifestyle brought us to become closer as a family, to appreciate life, and to appreciate the environment we live in," Anae said. "People kind of take it for granted, but we’re humbled by that experience and are still today humbled from it."

Anae carries that humbling experience onto the volleyball court, where she is one of the best players in the state. The 16-year-old earned HHSAA all-tournament honors as a junior and has helped Kahuku to a No. 3 ranking and 8-0 OIA Red East record so far this season.

LAST YEAR, Anae feasted on delectable sets from then-teammate and current Arizona setter Penina Snuka. This year, she’s had to adjust to different sets, rotations and plays for the better of the team, but Anae credits the new setters, like junior Rachel Blake, for stepping into that "quarterback" role that comes with high expectations.

"It’s a big adjustment, but we have really great setters that come and fill in," Anae said. "They’ve worked hard (in the) offseason to fill the spot of Snuka. It’s been awesome with Snuka, but it’s time to move on."

"Our season is going well right now. We have a lot of young players, but we have a broad bench with good players on and off the court," Anae said. "If one of our starters fall out we have someone to cover and they’re just on top of it as the starters were."

Anae and her teammates have also had to adjust to a new coach this season. Tehani Fiatoa is the third coach Anae has played for since her sophomore season.

"It’s been a big adjustment, especially coaching styles, different techniques, different plays to run," Anae said. "It’s been a fun ride though, just to learn a lot of new stuff from each coach’s perspective."

Fiatoa commends Anae for being a strong leader for the Red Raiders and called her "one of the funniest, awesome volleyball players she’s ever met."

"She brings a lot of confidence and I rarely see her second-guess herself," Fiatoa said. "We need that kind of personality and we need that to be something that she influences the rest of her teammates in doing.

"She works really hard and she has a bright future."

THIS SUMMER, the highly recruited athlete prepared for her senior year by training with her father and on her own. Her daily workout rotated among cardio (running up hills in Laie quarry), circuit training, agility training and weight lifting. She also spent a month working out at the Provo Recreational Center while on a college visit in Utah.

Many top Division I teams have recruited Anae, including UCLA, Cal, Hawaii and Utah. She’s committed to the Utes, but is still being pursued by the Rainbow Wahine. Anae plays for ‘Imi ‘Ike, a volleyball club organized by some of the UH coaching staff.

"I really thought about it this past month with how my senior year is coming to an end, but it’s just the start. I’m just thinking that I’d miss home and I am kind of missing it already and I’m thinking towards my future," Anae said. "My sister in college, Pati (at Southern Idaho), is kind of missing home too, so it makes me think of it more broadly, ‘Maybe I should stay home, maybe I should go away,’ but I don’t know. It’s just a big thought process."

Wherever Anae ends up, she’s driven and talented enough to make an impact at the Division I level.

"Volleyball has really helped me to become the person I am today," Anae said. "I’d say hard work pays off. No matter what you go through in life and how you live in life, it’s all in your mind of how you want things to go and what you want. Nothing’s impossible. If you really want it, you go and get it."