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). |