It was always second nature for Kassie Kometani to think about others, even when the Kohala swimmer had a noteworthy achievement in the pool.
It was always second nature for Kassie Kometani to think about others, even when the Kohala swimmer had a noteworthy achievement in the pool.
The Cowgirl senior understood that swimming was an individual sport, but in a way wrapped in a team concept, with everyone encouraging and pushing each other.
Still, in individual events swimmers swim alone. But that doesn’t mean an accomplishment can’t shine a ray of sunshine on someone else.
In 2013, Kohala had a swimming team for the first time since 2006, and back then Kometani was a promising sophomore.
She took silver at the BIIF championships in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing close to Waiakea senior Madi Uekawa (now at UH-Manoa), and qualified for the HHSAA championships.
Kometani gave hard rubs to the seasoned Uekawa, who clocked in at 24.62 seconds to the Cowgirl’s 24.88, and her memorable moments didn’t stop there.
In the 100 free, Kometani picked up a bronze in 55.67, and again faced brutal competition in Hilo senior Beth Tsuha, 52.43, who set league and BIIF championship records, and Hawaii Prep senior Anu Nihipali, 53.88.
Tsuha (Grinnell College in Iowa), Nihipali (Wagner College in New York) and Uekawa are among the BIIF’s legends in league history. And Kometani was on their tail.
At the state championships at Duke Kahanamoku pool on UH-Manoa’s campus, Kometani brought home bronze in 24.77; Uekawa got silver in 24.48.
The best moment for Kometani was when she saw Kohala coach Jeff Coakley, and the rainbow that brightened his day.
“Coach Coakley wasn’t just my swimming coach, but I viewed him as a father figure, and role model,” Kometani said. “Looking from the podium stand, coach was smiling and with the big name coaches from Punahou and Iolani, and to know that he brought a swimmer from Kohala was a really cool moment, and that he was proud of me.”
Kometani jumped in the pool at 5 years old, and was a lifelong student of Coakley, who has made it his passion to teach swimming in Kapaau.
She has been a volunteer instructor for the Kohala Learn to Swim program. Her gold medal moment is teaching the little ones to swim.
“Winning a BIIF title was awesome, but to use my own ability to teach them to swim is such an accomplishment,” Kometani said. “That made me feel really good.”
Home start
The Roy Fujimoto Senior Scholarship recipient is the daughter of John and Vicky Kometani, whose other child is Kiana Kometani.
Kiana Kometani is a 2008 Kohala graduate and was also the school’s valedictorian. She was a state qualifier for tennis, went to Northern Arizona University, and is now a preschool teacher in Northern California.
The youngest Kometani had a great example to follow, and her parents started her education early.
“A big part was my parents reading to me every night when I was young,” said Kometani, who had a 4.12 GPA and scored a 1,910 on the SAT. “That got my reading ability going early. Once I was able to read, I was able to learn.
“My dad is a science teacher at school, but I was never in his class. He picked up other subjects to cover teachers at school, so he was always learning new things.”
She’s going to Lewis & Clark College, in Portland, Ore., and plans to major in environmental studies.
“It’s No. 1 in environmental law, and that was one of the biggest factors in choosing the school,” Kometani said.
Serve others
Her dad’s influence made a permanent impression in other ways as well.
Kometani was Kohala class president for three years, in the Student Credit Union, Leo Club, Glee Club, Kamehameha Scholars, and Kalahikiola Youth Group since middle school.
“My dad was in the Lion’s Club and I saw him give back to the community,” Kometani said. “Automatically that’s something I wanted to do. I love where I come from, and I want to repay the favor. I was born and raised in a great place, and that’s a reason I want to go into environmental law.”
Her dad was a marathon runner, traveled around the world to compete in races, and completed the Ironman.
John Kometani is also the Kohala cross country coach, but his daughter preferred the water to running on land.
“People ask me, ‘Your dad is the Kohala cross country coach, how come you’re not running every day? Once I learned how to swim, I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I love how swimming makes me feel. After a good workout, I feel good and it makes me happy.
“I don’t mind the long yardage. I’ve always loved going to practice. It’s such an appeal, and going to Lewis & Clark to swim is the best feeling in the world.”