The impeccable flow of a certain ball-distributing hub in Punahou’s dynastic volleyball machine is almost too good to be true.
And yet, D.J. McInerny makes it so. He makes it look, almost all the time, exceedingly precise. It simply looks that way for five-time defending state champion Punahou and its senior setter, a descendant of the McInerny family that operated a clothing store at Ala Moana Center for decades.
This generation has little to no familiarity with the old, McInerny included.
“My ancestors immigrated from Ireland and opened up a clothing store,” said McInerny, beginning and completing his entire knowledge of that chapter in his family history. “I don’t know. I never came around to asking.”
(For the record, in 1857, Patrick Michael McInerny opened a household and ship supplies shop in Honolulu. That evolved into a high-end clothing store. The Ala Moana location and 12 others closed shop by 2003.)
Instead of a passion for business, McInerny is one of just three seniors on a Buffanblu squad that has surpassed even its own expectations in one basic way: The newcomers to the varsity program have fit like a perfect piece of the puzzle.
“Coach (Rick Tune) really likes to highlight the word synergy,” McInerny said. “The sum of the parts is greater than the whole. That’s what we are as a team. Two plus two equals 10.”
Mixing math into the equation
For a composed yet fiery athlete like McInerny, the precision of the game is a lure. He loves math, specifically his precalculus class, and that jibes with Tune’s micro-analysis approach to every facet of volleyball.
“We set that mind-set up at practice and D.J. brought some of that to the table,” Tune said. “It’s not just about beating an opponent. Can we hit our different rates offensively and defensively? Can we see matchups and ride the hot hand? At this point of the season, D.J. does the best job of executing it.”
Punahou’s latest victory, a 25-15, 25-11 sweep of Kamehameha, bumped its win-loss mark to 2-0 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. McInerny dished 11 assists in the first game before sitting out the second as Tune emptied the bench. McInerny was exquisite with sets to the left, the right, the middle, on two feet, hustling to deliver off one foot or in mid-air occasionally. Any set the Buffanblu needed, he was there in no time. He is probably agile enough to have become a competent infielder on the diamond, or a tough-nosed guard on the basketball hardwood.
Tough road to follow
Instead, he took the most difficult path. Not only are the McInernys known for their previous business in the clothing store business; D.J. follows a long line of athletic phenoms on both sides of the family.
>> Uncle Harvey McInerny — former head coach in track and field at Kamehameha.
>> Aunty Diana McKibbin — played on a national championship volleyball team at Hawaii.
>> Uncle Tony McInerny — played volleyball at San Diego State, then professionally in Belgium and Germany.
>> Dad Danny McInerny — played volleyball at Loyola Marymount.
“It’s a big title to hold up. I’m just trying my hardest,” said D.J., whose initials stand for Daniel Joseph. “I think my parents would be happy and supportive no matter what.”
The rub is this: He was never the tallest guy. At 5 feet 9 and 150 pounds, he doesn’t project visually as a young man who directs “kills” in any line of work or sport. But at Punahou, he is delivery man No. 1, a guy who really enjoys the perks of an environment where a student can try on various academic wardrobes, including sociology and psychology. The makeup of the mind is where McInerny has fine-tuned his own, perhaps an unconscious personal mission to defeat all doubters. It is the chip on his shoulder that he doesn’t want to let go. He converts what could be toxic into pure, raw fuel.
It is, in a large way, the reason why an MMA fighter (Conor McGregor), not a volleyball star, is McInerny’s favorite athlete.
“The thing I most admire is not only that he’s physically strong, but he’s mentally strong. He likes to take on all challengers, bigger and stronger opponents. Most people doubt him and that he can overcome things. All my life, I’ve been an undersized setter, so I’ve blocked out all the negativity about my size,” McInerny said.
“You can be unhappy about yourself or work harder and look for the competitive edge,” Tune said. “D.J. does the little things that a setter has to do when he’s forced to, to know the nuances and intangibles. The great thing about D.J. is he’s an incredibly positive kid.”
At Punahou, where the boys teams have won 34 out of a possible 48 state championships in boys volleyball, the legacy never ends. From the originator, Chris McLachlin (11 titles, 1972-75, ’82-’88), Jim Iams Jr. (three titles, ’76, ’80, ’81), Peter Balding (five titles, ’89, ’90, ’04-’06), Scott Rigg (five titles, ’92, 1997-2000), Lyman Lacro (three titles, ’94-96) and current coach Rick Tune (seven titles, ’09-’10, ’12-’16), the torch passes on.
Sharing wealth of knowledge
This season’s seniors — Ethan Siegfried, Easton Kays and McInerny — carry that tradition well.
“For us upperclassmen, we understand the history,” McInerny said. “One of our jobs is to share that knowledge with the newer guys about the teams and people that built this dynasty.”
At the start of each season, the Buffanblu watch a video about the program’s history. The day-to-day work, from Tune’s creative sparks to basic fundamentals, will make the difference between a good season and a great one in the state’s toughest volleyball league.
“We keep practice super intense. It’s super competitive at practice,” McInerny said. “We have to get ready for the days when we have a long match.”
Down the road, McInerny will be a long way from the islands, playing at Grand View University in Iowa.
D.J.’S FAVORITES
>> Athlete: Conor McGregor. “I love how mentally tough he is and how hard of a worker he is.”
>> Team: Denver Broncos.“Peyton Manning has always been my favorite player in the NFL. My uncle Tony got married to one of the daughters of Pat Bowlen (team owner).”
>> Hobby outside of sports: Playing Pokemon GO. “Everyone wants to play, all my friends. Some people think it’s childish, but you meet new people and go to new places like, I would drive by, but now I walk by there and see the cool things at night like the sideshow (in Waikiki).”
>> Music artist: Khalid. “He’s new. I don’t know how to describe his music. It’s a new kind of sound. That’s what I like to listen to in the car. Pregame I like trap music and rap. Taiga. Kendrick Lamar.”
>> Place to relax: “At my friend’s house on the special red couch while watching a movie.”
>> Motto/scripture: “Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn.”
>> What is your ultimate dream/bucket list? “Go to Africa and jeep around seeing all different kinds of animals. I’d go with my friends and family.”
