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Team
Win
What do the
sports of
basketball,
football,
soccer, and
volleyball
all have in
common? They
are all thought
of as team
sports. However,
many consider
swimming an
individual
sport and
I would disagree.
Our swim coaches
preached the
‘One
Team’
philosophy
established
by Father
Kenneth A.
Bray, which
helped lead
the boys and
girls varsity
swim teams
to capture
the 2004 and
2005 High
School State
Championship
titles.
Father Kenneth
A. Bray avidly
taught his
football boys
about his
‘One
Team’
philosophy.
Some of his
most important
principles
were that
none of his
players would
receive leis
after any
games, he
stressed the
significance
of fundamentals
and conditioning,
he would make
sure each
player knew
what his role
was by having
the team walk
through the
plays until
it could be
executed perfectly,
and he hardly
would use
his substitution
players. Even
if Father
Bray preferred
only using
starters,
he strongly
believed that
everyone contributed
in some way
and was important
towards the
team’s
success. In
a letter to
the boys he
wrote about
the difference
between ‘confidence’
and ‘overconfidence’
while also
emphasizing
the ‘One
Team’
spirit, “You
are not individuals
greedy for
individual
honor, but
members of
a team, eager
for team achievement.”
(187)
It was my
freshman year
and my first
year on the
varsity swim
team. The
boys had just
won their
second straight
state title
the year before,
and were looking
for their
third. Our
girls team,
on the other
hand, was
a little less
doubtful of
our chances
of winning.
The 2004 season
flew by; both
boys and girls
teams won
the Kalani
Invitational
along with
the Varsity
Championships.
Only then,
did our chances
of winning
states become
tangible.
Unlike the
boys team,
however, with
their standouts,
our girls
had to contribute
in any way
they could.
We needed
girls to place
in the top
five places
for finals,
we needed
our three
relays to
either win
or receive
second place,
and for those
not swimming,
we needed
their words
of encouragement
and support.
By the last
event of the
2004 championship
meet, the
400-yard freestyle
relay, we
needed to
avoid disqualification
in order to
win the state
title. We
placed first,
securing our
overall win.
That was one
of the most
amazing feelings
I had ever
felt; not
only had both
the boys and
girls won
the state
championships,
but one of
our coaches,
Mandy Tomita,
was on the
girls team
the last time
both boys
and girls
had won in
1996. The
2005 season
began a little
differently
than that
of the year
before. We
were not going
into the season
as underdogs,
but instead,
we were going
in with plans
of defending
our title.
The Punahou
team had just
moved up a
couple of
fast girls,
making us
question our
ability to
pull through
once again.
However, with
our teamwork,
we were able
to celebrate
our second
state title.
The
spirit of
‘One
Team’
was heavily
emphasized
throughout
both winning
seasons and
still continues
to be. Each
girl on our
team made
a contribution
and helped
to get us
that much
closer to
the state
titles. Everyone
had to swim
their best
in hopes of
placing in
the top five
finishers
to gain points
for the team,
and for those
that did not
place, they
cheered to
keep the morale
of the team
up. Those
not participating
in finals
could be seen
standing behind
the blocks
of one of
our swimmers,
or on the
sides of the
pool, or even
at the opposite
end. Not only
did the cheering
push us to
strive to
do our best,
but also showed
how close
our boys and
girls teams
had become.
As cliché
as it sounds,
our teams
had become
a family,
depending
on one another
when we had
trouble depending
upon ourselves.
As much as
I have heavily
emphasized
upon the fact
of winning,
it is not
so much important
as the way
in which we
won. I think
the best comparison
in the way
our team won
was to that
of Father
Bray’s
“Go
For Broke”
play in the
1950 game
against the
St. Louis
Crusaders.
“Any
play in which
every man
does his job
will result
in a touchdown.”
(148). In
our case,
ours resulted
in a team
win.
The 2006 swim
season was
an unbelievably
difficult
one to face.
Both boys
and girls
teams were
not able to
defend our
titles. Yet,
even through
the toughest
of times,
our team was
there, ready
to support
each other.
Father Bray’s
‘One
Team’
philosophy
can produce
winners, but
it can also
create a family
where trust
and faith
are easily
placed in
the hands
of one’s
teammates.
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