Interesting Islanders
Introducing Pat Makaea

By Karen Welsh

Two, four, six, eight, who do I appreciate? Pat Makaea, Pat Makaea, yeah, Pat Makaea. Well, at least that's how I felt last Thursday evening at the exhibition men's volleyball match held at the UH-Hilo Gym.
Prior to the competition between University of Hawaii Manoa Campus and University of Pacific, I witnessed the spry and high-spirited 72-year-old lifetime Hilo resident rallying the troops of all those who sat around her, handing out a stack of beautiful handmade signs intended to help cheer on the Warriors.
It wasn't long before I noticed several of the signs bore the name of 22-year-old Kailua-Kona resident Daniel Rasay, currently a senior at UH Manoa, and the captain of UH Manoa Men's Volleyball Team. Turns out he's Pat's grandson, and she's proud of it.
"He is an excellent volleyball player," she said of Daniel. "He plays very well, and he is a very thoroughly nice person too."
Pat loves watching her grandson's dream come true. She knows how hard he worked and how much he persevered to become a key player on the team.
"He was red-shirted the first year," she said. "He didn't play at all. But, he had a good attitude about it. He said if he couldn't play he would be the best cheerleader he could be."
Now that he's a starter, Pat watches the games on television because she doesn't like to travel.
That made the exhibition game a rare opportunity to see him play in person and it gave Pat the needed impetuous to get out her colored markers and spend countless hours making the large signs for the game.
"I am excited that Daniel and the team came to play in Hilo," she said. "Hilo is a volleyball town. It is a volleyball crazed place, and this exhibition game is perfect to be played here."
Not only did Pat make signs for Daniel, but for other team members too. Among the many was an "OK Jose" for Jose Delgado, "Brian Bechwith -- like a shot" and "Aloha Lauri Hakala, the "Fin"isher for the young recruit from Pieksamaki, Finland.
Needless to say, Pat loved the game. She yelled encouragement to the boys and faithfully waved her signs. In fact, she became so completely caught up in the game that she forgot to eat her favorite concession food.
"I went specifically to eat a hot dog, because a hot dog isn't a hot dog unless it's eaten during a game," she said. "They always taste good then. However, I enjoyed myself so much that I forgot to eat one.
Still, Pat left the gym with a smile on her face, thrilled when the Warriors ended up beating the Tigers 3-0.
"It was a good game," she said. "It was quality volleyball. The team had to work really, really hard to get where they are today because they don't have the height. It was also wonderful to look around and see everyone in the audience having so much fun."
It's not over yet, because this fiercely competitive lady with be watching and hoping the Warriors will keep beating their opponents during the regular season, which is scheduled to begin shortly.
"Winning is everything," she admitted. "When they are winning it is so much fun to watch."
You're actually the fun one to watch Pat. Your are a lovely, upbeat woman that brings cheer to all you meet. Good luck to your team, and have a ball this season!