Tanner Hiromasa (c/o 2025) is the captain of the boys soccer team. He has been a four-year starter and a two-year captain, playing as a defensive player. As captain, Hiromasa aimed to inspire younger players, not just in soccer but also by encouraging positive attitudes and strong character, hoping it would help them in life and beyond high school.

Hiromasa said he was satisfied with how he played in his last game as a McKinley Tiger and was grateful to walk off the field with his teammates and coaches.

“My highlight this season was the semifinal game against Kahuku because I knew I had to leave everything on the field, no matter the score. And that’s what I did, so I was satisfied with how I played because I gave my absolute best effort.”

Hiromasa felt a great sense of responsibility as captain and was happy to support and encourage his teammates through practices and games. He was honored to be chosen as captain and thankful to his coach for the opportunity to lead the team over the past two years. He also felt privileged to lead and finish his time as captain of the McKinley soccer team.

A key motivator for Hiromasa was his family and friends. 

“They were always there for me at the games, and I’m forever grateful for this, as I know some kids don’t have the luxury of having their parents there. My teammates were also a big reason why I stayed motivated because I knew how badly they wanted to win. I knew how badly they wanted to improve, and that inspired me to do the same.”

Gregory Givens (c/o 2027) is the team’s goalie, and this is his second year on the boys soccer team. During his freshman year, Givens played as a central defensive midfielder and as a striker. However, when the senior goalie left, Givens stepped up to fill the role of goalkeeper in his sophomore year. His goal this season was to do his best for the team.

When asked about making it to the playoffs, Givens said, “It felt good to make it to the playoffs, but I didn’t play this season due to an injury.”

Givens had been substituted out of goal and came in as a striker. After scoring his first goal, he tried to score again but was side-tackled, losing his balance and suffering a medial and lateral ankle sprain, which kept him out of the playoffs.

Givens was disappointed that he couldn’t help his team in the playoffs. He felt like he had let the team down, knowing there were goals he could have saved and plays he could have made if not for the injury. Despite this, Givens attended all the playoff games to cheer on his team and wish them the best.

When discussing his goals and highlights from the season, Givens said, “I wanted to work hard as a goalie so I could do my best on the field, whether as a striker or keeper.” His highlight of the season was “our game against Kalaheo. I played really well in that game, and I was able to keep the score tied at 0-0.”

John Mai (c/o 2003) has been the head coach since 2008. Before becoming head coach, he served as an assistant coach in 2004. The head coach at that time was a former teammate of his from high school. When the head coach left, Mai took over the role. He said, “I can’t believe it’s been this long!”

Like the players, Coach John had the same goal: “To win the games we needed to make the playoffs and compete for a run in the OIA playoffs toward another championship game appearance. We did make the playoffs and reached the semifinals, but unfortunately, we fell short. Our other goal was to ensure everyone kept their grades up to participate because being a student comes first.”

Coach John was impressed with the team’s turnout at the start of the season. He shared that it shows soccer has come a long way at McKinley, and he hopes to continue growing the soccer program. With a good mix of young players contributing right away and veteran upperclassmen leading the team, Coach John was satisfied with this year’s team and is excited to see more boys try out next year.

Reflecting on his season highlights, Coach John said, “For me, this year’s highlight was experiencing a playoff win and playing in the semifinals of the OIA Playoffs. Those are moments I think will be remembered forever. But also, seeing the boys grow as players and as people throughout the season—that’s always a highlight for me every year.”