GRASSROOTS
YMCA Kauai Warriors provide opportunities
beyond volleyball Non-profi t club from Hawaii sponsors trip to the mainland for disadvantaged youth
he YMCA Kauai Warriors Vol- leyball Club, located in the Aloha Region, was formed in October 2013 as a non-profi t club to help boys ages 12-14 learn the game of volleyball and is the fi rst all-boys’ club on the island of Kauai. But the club’s mission goes beyond teaching the pass, set and attack skills to its members, many of whom come from disadvantaged families. “We believe that many of life les- sons can be learned from sports, posi- tive coaching and competition,” YMCA Kauai Warriors Club Director and Head Coach Brad Cheatum said.
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Last summer the team traveled to Houston to compete in the USA Vol- leyball Boys’ Junior National Champi- onships and the 13 Club Division. To prepare for the tournament with limited playing opportunities against boys, the club played local tournaments against 14-15 year-old girls’ teams. While the team did not win a match, they did win a few sets against some tough teams, and they improved with each point. “In Houston they had an amaz- ing experience playing and meeting boys from all over the United States,” Cheatum said. “Their level of play improved each match they played. We also had the opportunity to take them to the Houston space center and learn about the history of space exploration. For some of the boys this was the fi rst time to the mainland and a life-changing experience.” For some of the Warriors, playing vol- leyball is a chance to escape life’s experi- ences. For instance, one player has been homeless for most of his childhood, walks to school and takes his education seriously. As a result, his high grades have earned him a scholarship at a private school in Hanalei. Participating in the BJNC in Houston was a dream come true for a young athlete who goes to a middle school without athletics. The Warriors gave him a chance to learn
54 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
ISLAND FEVER: Practice sessions on club director Brad Cheatum’s outdoor court, left, helped the non- profi t club YMCA Kauai Warriors prepare for the 2014 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championship in Houston.
volleyball and grow as an individual in an environment that would not have been pos- sible otherwise.
One of his teammates is being raised with two siblings by a working single mother. The young Warrior, who is gifted in computer science and dreams of going to medical school one day, has taken on many of the responsibilities of the household. Yet, volleyball has been an escape for him. “While recently dropping him off at the bus stop,” Cheatum said, “he said, ‘I am thankful to be a part of this team because my dad just went to jail for 15 years.’ Volleyball is giving him a positive experience in his chaotic world.”
For 2015, the Warriors plan to travel again this summer and play in the Junior Boys’ Classic in Anaheim, Calif. In prepara- tion, they are training twice a week – once in the gym and once on a sand volleyball court built in Cheatum’s backyard. According to Cheatum, the sand court is important as the team loses access to the gym for three months during basketball season. “We are a non-profi t organization and understand how diffi cult it is for many of the families of these boys to afford uniforms, shoes, travel costs, let alone any club fees,” Cheatum said. “Unlike some clubs on the mainland that charge up to $4,000 per sea- son, we donate all our time and services for free. All funding to cover our club activities comes from donations, fund raising activi- ties and from some very generous people.” To learn more about the YMCA Kauai
Warriors or donate to help sustain the club, visit
kauaiwarriorsvolleyball.com.
PHOTOS: YMCA KAUAI WARRIORS
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