Game On - Tennis is a sport for life

Early 1990s: The kids loved to play tennis and began to feel ownership of the Tennis program. Vailima soon expanded the program in collaboration with Hawaii Pacific Tennis, our State’s division of the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). This began the “Red Van” era for the Tennis program. USTA started offering youth programs at Kaneohe District Park and Vailima drove the Kalihi kids to these sessions. She also arranged tennis activities at Kamehameha school and Diamond Head Tennis Center.

In 2005, when KKV needed to leave the aging KVH Hall, Tennis was incorporated in to a new after school program at Kalihi District Park. There, the Watsons provided free tennis lessons for kids from Kaewai Elementary and Dole Middle School after school and during the summer. Vailima and Jerry also provided free lessons at Farrington High. This led to Farrington recruiting the Watsons to coach their team, a role they continue to play today.

The old Farrington tennis courts were located next to the football field. “One day six football players in full uniform came up to the fence around the courts and started to intimidate the kids who were practicing,” Vailima remembers. “Once they realized who was coaching, however, they changed their tone. She invited them onto the courts, where they began to demonstrate an array of advanced tennis skills to the amazement of all watching. The kids had all learned from the tennis program at ‘the Hall.’” In this way, the Watsons understood the impact that their work had made on the kids growing up in Kalihi.

Hawaii Pacific 2009 Tennis Hall of Fame - Vailima Watson is recognized as a Non-Player Recipient - “an extraordinary coach and mentor, positively changing many young lives in the Kalihi community. She is an inspiration to all who are fortunate to get to know her. She brings together a community that is diverse with Samoan, Filipino, Hawaiian, Laotian, Vietnamese and Micronesian immigrants through tennis.” Click here for the full USTA article.

“Tennis has been popular at KKV for a along time. Vailima and I played doubles with Dr. Charles Judd and Jory Watland. Dr. David Breeze would stray from Golf at times. Medical Director Dr. Laura Devilbis and Director of Nursing Toni Agustin played in the first KKV Women's Tennis Team.”

We are grateful to Vailima and Jerry Watson for all they have given to the families in Kalihi. Their love and generosity is felt by all. Mahalo!

In 1989, Vailima and Jerry Watson helped KKV start a recreation program for Kalihi kids at “the Hall” in Kalihi Valley Homes (KVH). At that time, KVH had close to 2,000 residents, with half under the age of 18. Tennis became one of the most popular activities. Every afternoon, coach Vailima Watson led a single file group of kids to the tennis courts at Kalihi District Park. “We had kids of all ages,” she says, “and they were sometimes unruly because they were so excited to get out and play.” Vailima instinctively understood the need to be firm but nurturing, a strategy that has served her well over the past thirty years of coaching.

In 1991, Vailima started the first of many KKV League Teams that would play matches in different venues on the weekends. KKV had as many as three different league teams playing every Saturday and Sunday. For Vailima and her husband Jerry, who helped coach the kids, the van became a symbol of pride. “We drove the kids everywhere - to coaching sessions and tournaments, dinners at local Chinese restaurants, and even twice annual trips to the Opera.” (thanks to the Ananda Foundation)

So many stories: “One of our best memories,” the Watsons recount, “was the ten- year old boy who lived next door to the Hall at KVH. The Elementary School administration had informed his mom that he needed to be in Special Education classes because they believed he had a developmental disability. This boy loved tennis. He was a little quiet but we knew he was very smart and always did his homework when tutored. We encouraged his mother to have his hearing checked out and with the help of KKV, brought him to an ear doctor. The doctor diagnosed a hearing problem that a small procedure could rectify. Everything was arranged by KKV’s staff and the procedure was a success. Later on, the boy went on to graduate with top grades and played tennis in college.”

COVID-19 has made everything much tougher for Kalihi kids. The Tennis After School program started up again is still working to navigate the gathering restrictions and other issues. KKV is grateful to the steady supporters who year after year have donated racquets, shoes, and balls, and to USTA Hawaii Pacific for their support. As we move forward, the Watsons hope to keep Tennis a vital part of KKV’s Youth Services.

The Watsons know that for a kid to have dreams, he or she has to see opportunities. KKV’s Tennis/ After School program uses sports to build confidence, strengthen tactical thinking, develop leadership skills and teamwork, and set goals. Our Legacy fund aims to create a pool of resources to support Kalihi youth go to college and/or pursue dreams whatever these might be.