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as Coach Kukui Akana is a 3rd Generation Hawaiʻi volleyball female athlete & coach from the Akana ʻohana.
Her grandfather Francis Akana taught and coached fundamentals to many current Hawaiʻi volleyball greats who came out of Palama settlement during the 80s and 90s that include the Maʻafala sisters: Tanya Maʻafala Fuamatu-Anderson (UH Hilo), Valasi Sepulona (Chaminade), Nia Tuitele (HPU), and many many more. Kukuiʻs dad & mom, Shane & Hōkū Akana coached all ages 10-18s through both club and highschool coaching stints that include many current budding D1, D2, D3 and Juco student-athletes for the last 20 years. Kukui herself grew up in the gym from newborn to college. She began her first volleyball experience at 5 peppering with her dad waiting on the sidelines while mom & dad played on their own teams and travelling with them to multiple Haili Tournaments, USAV National Championships and basically being raising in the environment of high competitive volleyball. Once Kukui was old enough to join club she began her formal club experience at 8yo with Coach Patcho at Hiinaʻi VBC, 9-10yo at Waimānalo PAL Tehine under mom. At 11yo Kukui was the MVP as OH/M for Hi Intensityʻs crown 12s team that took 1st place at the Haili Volleyball Tournament in Hilo, under mom & club Head Coach & Director, Kahala Kabalis. She then continued as Middle/OH for Oahu VBC 13s under Tommy Lake & Aunty Cindy Flynn and then Middle/OH/Setter with 808VBC Tehine Jrs 14s. Once Kukui transitioned to Kamehameha Schools at 15 she was Captain of her freshman volleyball and basketball teams for KSK and played club for Maunalani VBC as a Utility (All positions: OH/M/S) until 18s. At 16 yo Kukui experienced a devastating injury tearing her right ACL and she worked hard after surgery to recuperate within 8 months so that she wouldnt lose a club season at 16 & 17/18s where she became integral as a setter/DS/Libero before being recruited as a setter to Highline College in WA. |
Pioʻole Training for lifeAt Highline College Kukui experienced another devastating set-back when she tore her left ACL and had to rehab and red-shirt her freshman year in college. However, when she got back to the court as a sophomore she was used as a Setter/Oppo, DS/Lib and OH through 2 NWAC Championship teams to play in 2 NWAC Championship Finals. She. graduated from High Line College, WA with a 3.8gpa with an Associates in Music during Covid in 2019.
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Student BEFORE ATHLETE ALWAYSThroughout highschool Kukui maintained no lower than a 3.5 GPA and once evolving into college, Kukui maintained a 3.8GPA and is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, National History Honor Society as she moves towards graduation in 2024 with a Double Bachelors in Hawaiian Studies ('Ōlelo) and Communications, a Minor in History and a Certificate in Pacific Island Studies from University of Hawaiʻi Hilo.
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Coaching is in the bloodHaving been raised in a gym, Kukui has had numerous stints coaching as a College student while at Highline College. Utilizing the skills she learned in her own club, high school and college experience and successfully taking her own teams as Head Coach (12s, 14s, & 15s) through their club seasons, on travel to Regional finishes in Washington.
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