Candace Fujishima’s former high school coach reflected on her prep and college softball career in 1994. His words then also aptly describe what Fujishima would go on to achieve in her profession.
“Candace is the perfect example of how hard work, dedication and a clear, vivid picture of what you want to achieve can all work together toward success,” said then Punahou coach Eric Tokunaga, in a Honolulu Advertiser article about Fujishima (then Nishina).
She had just graduated from Indiana University and made first-team all-conference, three years after cracking the Hoosiers roster as an uninvited walk-on.
Today, Fujishima’s job is to ensure that sports fans get a clear, vivid picture — plus, ungarbled audio, compelling pregame and postgame shows, accurate stats and graphics … basically, overall excellence.
She runs the show as an executive producer at Spectrum Sports Hawaii, often coordinating the efforts of as many as 30 people working live telecasts. Fujishima has worked thousands of University of Hawaii and high school games in various sports since she was hired a few months after college graduation. She has been producing and/or directing since 1997.
“She could do it with her eyes closed,” said Aimee Niwa Clanin, who has worked with Fujishima since 2008. “She really is the master of this and doesn’t get the credit she deserves. The public has no idea what goes into it.”
For every on-air “talent” position, there are several other workers who also make crucial contributions to a successful telecast. And they’re like offensive linemen or referees; usually their work is only noticed by fans if there’s a problem, Fujishima said.
“In my job I’m responsible for the whole broadcast,” she said. “Ideally, nobody (in the general public) should comment about the broadcast, only about the game. Also, if it’s a (UH) win, your mistakes are forgotten. If it’s a loss, then the mistakes get emphasized.”
At times, her job is like a cross between orchestra conductor and air traffic controller. But Fujishima and most of her co-workers have been together so long they make their complicated task where so many things can go wrong seem simple.
“The game is the easy part,” Fujishima said. “Most of the week leading up to a game is prepping the pregame show. A lot of that work is scripted. While I’m in the production truck (usually with around 10 other workers) the most important part is timing. I’m constantly talking to the talent, letting them know what’s coming up.”
She tries to avoid instructing them while they’re talking, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.
“I try to wait for a moment when I can jump in, and keep it short and to the point. We don’t have time for a thesis,” she said. “There’s so much going on. On the headset, I’m listening to seven channels, and sometimes gotta be the traffic coordinator. I’m the one steering the ship.”
The ship rarely comes anywhere close to hitting an iceberg because of Fujishima’s leadership and the crew’s experience.
“Most of us have been doing this together for a long time. I pretty much know what Candace wants from me, and she knows how to communicate it,” said veteran UH sportscaster Scott Robbs, who fills various on-air roles during games.
Fujishima knew she wanted to work in TV since intermediate school. She never aspired to be on camera, but also didn’t shy away from opportunities to learn.
“I’m constantly impressed by her abilities from day one,” said Steve Jackson, who was hired the same year as Fujishima, and is now an executive producer in charge of technical aspects of telecasts. “She’s always been a go-getter, interested in every aspect. She’s such a great producer/director because she understands all of it, and puts in tons of effort. Everything she does is 100 percent.”
Fujishima is also described by people who work with her as calm but assertive; an assessment she doesn’t disagree with.
“One, I’m really bossy, and two, I know what I want, so it’s just a matter of telling them in a way that’s efficient,” she said.
Playing interscholastic sports, especially softball, helped put her on her career path from a young age. Her intermediate school coach, Michael Dahlquist, also taught video production at Punahou.
“It was a really good class, and made me want to do that,” Fujishima said.
In those days, Hawaii interscholastic softball was played in the winter, causing many rainouts. And the state tournament was played at the Roosevelt football field and track, which was somehow converted into a softball stadium.
Those are both clear Title IX violations, since boys played baseball in the spring, on fields designed for baseball.
“It was annoying, but it was just the way things were then and we made the best of it,” Fujishima said.
She never played softball until she was 13. Tokunaga said she blossomed as a senior, and was the best outfielder on a Punahou team that made it to the state tournament.
“I don’t remember being good at all in high school,” Fujishima said. “Obviously, I wasn’t recruited (for college).”
She chose Indiana because its telecommunications program had a strong reputation, but she still wanted to play softball. After her calls about tryouts went unreturned, she just showed up at the field one day.
Fujishima made the team. During her sophomore year, an injury got her into the starting lineup, where she stayed the rest of her time at Indiana. She continually improved, earning a partial scholarship while making the conference’s all-academic team three years.
She was a Hoosiers co-captain in 1994 when they made it to the NCAA regionals. As she did in high school, she saved her best for last, batting .330 as a senior in conference games, while stealing 10 bases in 10 attempts. That, plus her defense in center field, put Fujishima on the Big Ten first team. She received the Aline Robinson Award, which goes annually to the Indiana women’s athlete who best displays leadership and sportsmanship.
When her schedule allows, Fujishima helps coach softball at Mid-Pacific, where her daughter, Alyssa Mae, plays. She was also either a coach or team mom for various sports played by her sons Bryce and Scott.
“There’s no doubt I’ve benefited from Title IX. Clearly it’s given me opportunities,” Fujishima said. “Sometimes I think I got hired because I could play softball.”
CANDACE FUJISHIMA
Occupation
>> Executive Producer at Charter Communications, parent company of Spectrum Sports Hawaii, which televises University of Hawaii and Hawaii high school sports events
Education
>> Indiana University, double major in telecommunications and Japanese
Athletics
>> Went from walk-on to three-year starter on Indiana softball team. Lettered in softball, golf and track and field at Punahou School
Honors and Awards
>> All-Big Ten first team (1994), three-time Big Ten All-Academic (1992-‘94 ), Aline Robinson Award for leadership and sportsmanship (‘94)
Family
>> Husband Don, sons Bryce and Scott, daughter Alyssa Mae
June 23, 2022, marked the 50th anniversary of Title IX. To commemorate this watershed event, the Star-Advertiser will publish a series of stories celebrating the achievements of female pioneers and leaders with Hawaii ties.
Click here to view the Title IX series.
