On Thursday afternoon, the Kahuku girl’s water polo team got into a horrific bus accident by the Waikane store–the bus was almost completely flipped over! Apparently, a car in front of the bus stopped suddenly. Unable to slow down fast enough, the bus driver swerved to avoid a rear-end collision, failing to realize that instead of a shoulder, that stretch of Kamehameha Highway borders a ditch with a small stream running through it.

As a former Kahuku girl’s water polo player, the story hit a little close to home–especially since the new head coach played with me on the team all those years ago, and I occasionally try to make it back and help out with practices when I can. I’m sure I speak for all of us out here in Ko’olauloa and on the North Shore when I say how very grateful we are that nobody was killed or severely injured.

What really sets this group of girls apart, however, is how they came together less than 48 hours after the crash to play two games against Roosevelt and Mililani, winning each game decisively. Even the 5 girls with injuries that kept them out of the games were there to cheer on their teammates, and the good humor of both the parents and players was evident after the game, when a celebratory cake with an upturned bus appeared during the potluck lunch.

The team’s goal this year is to make it to the state championship game–and win. They’ve been there before, but haven’t been able to pull together for a win. Now that they’ve been through one serious challenge together, this may be their year.