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In the Solomua household, there is one secret.
Son Jeminae Solomua simply won’t spill the beans when it comes to Feeunai Solomua’s barbecue sauce.
“My dad makes the best barbecue because of his secret sauce,” said Jeminae, who has his hands and feet busy enough getting from class to class on the Waipahu High School campus.
Solomua will graduate with a sterling academic mark — currently a 3.8 grade-point average. On Wednesday, he will sign a letter of intent to play volleyball at Graceland University in Iowa. What he’ll bring to the Midwest is the same thing he has brought to the Marauders: a willingness to lead.
The 6-foot-2 senior has been a cornerstone of coach Julna Pasicaran’s program from the start. Last Thursday, he was a crucial part of the big blue machine, pounding 16 kills at a .609 clip to lead the Marauders over Kaiser, securing a berth in the upcoming Division I state tournament. At 10-2, the Marauders — seeded third in the West — are enjoying one of their best seasons under the watchful eye of their longtime coach. They are inching closer to a possible OIA title. Pasicaran led them to a D-II crown in 2005. The previous titles in the pre-classification era were in ’90 and ’91 under Mary Corrales.
“I am really surprised at how much our team has progressed throughout the course of this season,” Solomua said. “We have all grown in both our skills and our relationships with each other. I believe we can go all the way to the championship, but it all depends on us, because the biggest threat on the court is ourselves.”
For Solomua, the winning ingredient on and off the court transcends his physical gifts. Waipahu is a blend of veterans, including pinpoint setter Nofoalii Saolotoga, and new contributors, including a freshman who has been on the roster all season (Frank Vili). Three recent call-ups from the junior varsity have blended right into Waipahu’s recipe for success.
“Having him lead by example to the younger kids is awesome for the program. I hope that the rest of our school athletes will follow his lead,” said Pasicaran, who began coaching at Waipahu in 1986 at the JV level. “This year, we asked him to be a more vocal leader and he has stepped up to the challenge. He is a very positive person and very respectful to all his peers and coaches.”
In the fall, there’s football. In the winter, basketball. Year-round, it’s student government plus his duties on the Student Board of Directors. The combination of prolific numbers in the classroom and on the hardwood, plus a willingness to serve can be fulfilling. It can also be draining.
“Volleyball is pretty much my life. During season, we have practice six times a week, and all of our team bondings are fun, but it takes away a lot of time from home and church,” Solomua said.
He fills his tank by playing pickup games on weekends.
“Village Park still has pickup basketball games and I usually run if my family is there to be on my five,” he said. “My parents are actually classmates with some of them, or know them.”
Parents, as in mom Lani and dad Feeunai. Both were athletes at Waipahu, Pasicaran said.
“Coming in as a freshman and knowing his parents as players, they were very athletic themselves, so I expected him to be athletic. He is very well-rounded. I give his parents credit for bringing up such a respectful person,” she said.
That ninth-grade season was less than ideal for Solomua, who tweaked an ankle in the Longy Okimoto preseason tourney. Since then, he has been relatively healthy and strong. Even in the midst of his constant studying and practicing, Solomua releases a lot of that stress by simply being himself.
“Jeminae loves to sing and will sing out loud whenever he has a chance,” Pasicaran said. “We have a UJam session twice a week before practice and he is the one that will give it his all, and he really enjoys that. That’s Jem, always giving his all.”
Waipahu’s unity and joy come across vibrantly in live action — nothing over the top, just a group of players representing one of the best athletic teams in blue and gold this year. Waipahu is now in the OIA semifinal round and will play league powerhouse Mililani today at Radford. Solomua is all-in on Pasicaran’s approach.
“Coach Julna’s style of coaching is unique because she really focuses on the basics and believes that nothing consistent comes out of being fancy, which I strongly believe in. She also has assistant coaches who are a lot younger, so it makes it easier for us kids to click with them if they’re scared of her,” Solomua said. “A lot of kids are scared of her at first, but I’m not sure why ’cause she’s so funny.”
He has walked the walk, following his family to Praisehouse Church in Waipio on the Sabbath. He could easily sleep in, maybe, but he refuses to skip a beat.
“My faith makes me make a lot of decisions that a lot of other kids who don’t go to church wouldn’t have to make,” Solomua said. “It allows me to put God first, and everything will fall into place following God’s plan.”
It’s all out there, a blueprint of success in a busy life. He holds no secrets, except for that one.
“My dad has only entrusted me with the sauce ingredients,” he said of that majestic BBQ. “The rest is all made by taste.”
Q&A:
>> Athlete: Michael Jordan. Not afraid to try and to fail.
>> Team: Waipahu Marauders!!!
>> Hobby outside of sports: Singing
>> Movie: “Finding Nemo”
>> TV show: “Chopped”
“I do not have any cooking skills. I usually watch to just see the process and pretend like I’m actually eating that food.”
>> Video game: Sly Cooper Series
>> Music artist: Drake
“I have a whole lot of his songs in my ‘Game Day’ playlist.”
>> Place to relax: The park/gym
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind?
“This is a noble endeavor for any young Christian man. Tattoos for example. Everyone wants tattoos. It’s almost normal now. Yet the Bible says not to mark the body. It’s a tough situation for young people.
“It definitely is a tough choice to be confronted with, but I believe that with enough prayer, God will answer and you will have your answer. And it also depends on how deep your faith is.”
How does your volleyball affect your daily life during the season and offseason?
“Volleyball is pretty much my life. During season we have practice six times a week, and all of our team bindings are always fun. But it takes away a lot of time from home and church. In the off season I’m always playing another sport, but still go to open gyms and play where I can. So I’m pretty much playing in and off season.”
What makes Coach Julna (Pasicaran) unique to play for?
“Coach Julna’s style of coaching is unique because she REALLY focuses on the basics and believes that nothing consistent comes out of being fancy, which I strongly believe in.”
What do you like to do — or what’s something else you’re good at — that would surprise most people?
“I am good at singing and dancing, only for friends and for fun.”
What is the history and background of your name?
“My mom actually heard my name on a TV show called ‘Gladiators’ and she thought it was cool, so she changed the spelling.”
What college are you going to attend? What influenced your decision?
“I am going to attend Graceland University in Iowa. I plan to attend there to play volleyball and major in either nursing or biology. My teammate from last year (Ejay Tagabi) actually goes there and said a lot of good things about their program.”
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