Club History

Leahi Soccer Club is an organization founded to promote girls soccer in the State of Hawaii. Founded in 1980, Leahi Soccer Club (Le ' ahi, the Hawaiian word for Diamond Head) is the oldest women's/girls' soccer club in Hawaii and was the first club to set up a structure for both youth and adults.

In 1980, the Leahi Women's Team was formed as one of the early Hawaii women's soccer teams. The team remains one of the strongest women's teams and annually contends for the State Championship or tournaments on the mainland. It has repeatedly represented Hawaii in the Far West Regionals, reaching the final game three times and having once been ranked eighth nationally.

In 1983, Leahi Soccer Club began fielding girls' teams in the various age group divisions the girls' division of the Hawaii Youth Soccer Association. Each year Leahi is one or two teams in each HYSA age division.

In December of 1987, Leahi Soccer Club was registered as a nonprofit corporation with the State of Hawaii. This organization provides an opportunity and structure for broad volunteer participation in the Club's administration and activities.

Leahi women’s teams have dominated the Women’s Island Soccer Association (WISA) for nearly 20 years, at one point winning 15 consecutive league championships.  Our youth teams have repeatedly represented Hawaii in the US Youth Soccer Far West Regionals. On several occasions, Leahi teams have advanced to the semifinals at the Far West Regionals and twice competed in the Finals. The Leahi 72 & 73 teams (Coached by George Anne Derby, Brian Murton & Scott Keopuhiwa) as well as the ’75 & ’76 teams (Coached by Clem Young), represented Hawaii in the Regional Semi-Finals on several occasions and In 1991, the Leahi ’73 team lost 1-0 in overtime of the Championship game.  Leahi ’80 (Coached by Jorge Barbosa) and Leahi ’82 (Coached by Kari Morioka & Wendy Thompson) continued Leahi’s proud tradition of representing Hawaii in Far West Regionals.  Leahi ’82 twice won captured the highly prestigious San Diego Surf Cup championship. Also deserving special note is the Leahi ’87 team formed when they were 7 years old by Laurie Baker and Michele Nagamine. As U11s, they won the U12 HYSA State Championship. Scott Keopuhiwa joined the coaching staff when they were U12s.  They won the HYSA State Championship 8 times, and would travel to the Far West Regionals 5 times, advancing to the Semifinals twice and the Quarterfinals three times.  In 2001, the 87s opted to attend the All American Girls Cup (AAG) and Schwan’s USA Cup. They captured the AAG Championship going 6-0, and finished 3rd in the USA Cup Premier bracket, losing to the eventual champions in a shootout.  The 87s also attend numerous other mainland tournaments including the San Diego Surf Cup and the Nomads College Showcase.

For more competitive play and due to its unique location in the Hawaiian Islands, the Club has sponsored statewide clinics and workshops for its members and nonmembers. Nationally known coaches and players have also provided specialized training to better prepare Club players for tournaments entered both locally and nationally. Leahi Soccer Club members have not only played soccer at the high school and college levels, they continue to develop into successful coaches in the community and high school teams. In addition, members have returned to the organization to contribute their time and knowledge as coaches for the Club's teams. Leahi Soccer Club has always emphasized its commitment to excellence in soccer and its continuing contribution to the improvement of girls and women's soccer in the State of Hawaii. Off the field, Leahi supports its teams and players with a Club network providing such activities as Club clinics, footwork sessions, functional training sessions, club outings, newsletter, website etc., in the belief that all these activities enhance both personal and soccer development.

Leahi Soccer Club also believes it is important that our players give back to the community and regularly donate their time and abilities by supporting Special Olympics Hawaii, the Hawaii Food Bank and the Great Aloha Run as well as volunteering to help the club in the form of coaching our younger teams, running footwork sessions and helping out at our annual tournament (the Aloha International Cup).

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