Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Smith-Wishard competes among elite athletes
By Lanaly Cabalo - the garden island
Chelsea Smith-Wishard beat the best distance runners in the state during her high school years at Kaua‘i High School.
She was a two-time champion in the 1,500-meter run, and now, the 18-year-old Pepperdine University freshman runs against some of the best runners in the country. She has just completed her first collegiate year running cross country and track for the private school.
“One of the biggest meets was at USC,” she said. “I remember watching one of those girls on TV and here I was about to run against her.”
But that wasn’t her toughest challenge of the year.
“At the UCLA meet, I had to run the 800 meters and it was my first time running it all season,” she said. “I think I had to run against the national record holder. I just remembered to have fun. I like running against them because it makes the competition so much better. It pushes me to run a lot faster. I feel honored to run against them.”
Like most college freshmen, it took some time for Smith-Wishard to adjust to being away from home. The weather was slightly colder in Malibu, Calif., than what she’s accustomed to in her hometown of Lawa‘i. And the academic load was much heavier.
“I felt like I was the slowest person on the team when it came to adjusting (to the workload),” she said. “It’s a really well-known school for academics. All the kids in my class were like the valedictorians of their classes or the best students. I struggled the first semester, but we have study hall during the season and I spent a lot of time there. I learned how to manage my time better. I kind of expected my first year to be my hardest, but it really is about time management.”
Smith-Wishard said one of the good things about choosing to go to Pepperdine was that most of her teammates were also freshmen, so they all adjusted to the changes together. They all became close friends throughout the season because of the day-trips they took together for meets.
Smith-Wishard had considered going to the University of Nevada at Reno or the University of California at Irvine. But Malibu seems to suit her just fine.
“It’s nice (in Malibu) because you have the beach and it’s a small town,” she said. “It’s like here on Kaua‘i, only I had a hard time adjusting to the cold weather there.”
She said she never got bored because there was so much to do. She stayed occupied to keep her mind off of the fact that she was far away from her family and friends.
Then, of course, there were the early morning workouts.
“I’m used to sleeping in. But I love it, now. I feel like I have so much time in the day,” she said.
The practices were longer and more intense than when she was in high school, and she had to do more hill work for training.
“We did a lot of hill work,” she said. “We didn’t do as much for track (at Kaua‘i High School). For cross country, we’d practice at Kaua‘i Community College and I used to think those hills were the biggest hills. Now, they’re not so big.”
She remembers her first cross country meet being the worst because she was so nervous.
“I think it was my worst race all season,” she said.
Overall, her first year was a good one and she’s happy to have the opportunity to be a college athlete.
She returned to Kaua‘i last week and is enjoying her break, all the while fitting in a few morning runs around town.
“I’m really happy to be back. Now I get to see everyone again,” she said.
Smith-Wishard graduated from Kaua‘i in 2007. The summer before her senior year, she suffered a stress fracture on her right foot which hindered her throughout the fall cross country season and lingered to the spring track season. She finished third at the state cross country meet and sat out the first half of the spring track season.
She made a triumphant and healthy return to the track at the 60th annual Rotary Meet where she finished in first place in the 1,500-meter run. She went on to win her second straight state title in the 1,500 a few months later.
She signed with Pepperdine that same season.
She was a two-time champion in the 1,500-meter run, and now, the 18-year-old Pepperdine University freshman runs against some of the best runners in the country. She has just completed her first collegiate year running cross country and track for the private school.
“One of the biggest meets was at USC,” she said. “I remember watching one of those girls on TV and here I was about to run against her.”
But that wasn’t her toughest challenge of the year.
“At the UCLA meet, I had to run the 800 meters and it was my first time running it all season,” she said. “I think I had to run against the national record holder. I just remembered to have fun. I like running against them because it makes the competition so much better. It pushes me to run a lot faster. I feel honored to run against them.”
Like most college freshmen, it took some time for Smith-Wishard to adjust to being away from home. The weather was slightly colder in Malibu, Calif., than what she’s accustomed to in her hometown of Lawa‘i. And the academic load was much heavier.
“I felt like I was the slowest person on the team when it came to adjusting (to the workload),” she said. “It’s a really well-known school for academics. All the kids in my class were like the valedictorians of their classes or the best students. I struggled the first semester, but we have study hall during the season and I spent a lot of time there. I learned how to manage my time better. I kind of expected my first year to be my hardest, but it really is about time management.”
Smith-Wishard said one of the good things about choosing to go to Pepperdine was that most of her teammates were also freshmen, so they all adjusted to the changes together. They all became close friends throughout the season because of the day-trips they took together for meets.
Smith-Wishard had considered going to the University of Nevada at Reno or the University of California at Irvine. But Malibu seems to suit her just fine.
“It’s nice (in Malibu) because you have the beach and it’s a small town,” she said. “It’s like here on Kaua‘i, only I had a hard time adjusting to the cold weather there.”
She said she never got bored because there was so much to do. She stayed occupied to keep her mind off of the fact that she was far away from her family and friends.
Then, of course, there were the early morning workouts.
“I’m used to sleeping in. But I love it, now. I feel like I have so much time in the day,” she said.
The practices were longer and more intense than when she was in high school, and she had to do more hill work for training.
“We did a lot of hill work,” she said. “We didn’t do as much for track (at Kaua‘i High School). For cross country, we’d practice at Kaua‘i Community College and I used to think those hills were the biggest hills. Now, they’re not so big.”
She remembers her first cross country meet being the worst because she was so nervous.
“I think it was my worst race all season,” she said.
Overall, her first year was a good one and she’s happy to have the opportunity to be a college athlete.
She returned to Kaua‘i last week and is enjoying her break, all the while fitting in a few morning runs around town.
“I’m really happy to be back. Now I get to see everyone again,” she said.
Smith-Wishard graduated from Kaua‘i in 2007. The summer before her senior year, she suffered a stress fracture on her right foot which hindered her throughout the fall cross country season and lingered to the spring track season. She finished third at the state cross country meet and sat out the first half of the spring track season.
She made a triumphant and healthy return to the track at the 60th annual Rotary Meet where she finished in first place in the 1,500-meter run. She went on to win her second straight state title in the 1,500 a few months later.
She signed with Pepperdine that same season.
 |
||
| Beyer, Taniguchi deliver Waimea to PONY semis |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of kauaiworld.com.
HiKauai wrote on Jan 22, 2009 1:48 PM:
" Dear TGI,
RE: Date, 01-22-2009
Just letting you know all my comments on TGI is/was centered around community issues regarding my former high school and mainly who we knew in that town. Any news thereafter arising out of such personal activities beyond the foresight of Waimea High School or the DOE, meaning in the real labor market, was brought forth due to family issues, community issues, people we have or grown to know over the years, and basically experiences in this life, anywhere usa.
Any comments made by myself reflects viewpoints and objective ideas about living in United States of America, Hawaii and not necessarily accomplishments to try to belittle anyone not agreeing or being in the same frame of thought or deed for any matter, if you catch any of it. Example, like trying to be a mayor and use the outer island relatives or relatives as advertising scheme.
We live somewhere else, and do not necessarily subscribe to the idea of home rule or representation rule in terms of residence or job. I live on another island for a long time with few relatives here in Honolulu. The view points does not represent Waimea High School even though I may have gone to school there or grew up there, or even had jobs on Kauai.
In short, I do not subscribe to the idea, that Waimea High School is where everything started, if you get my sentiments implied here. Point blank, I am not with any of my former school mates 1986 or anyone living there, in this life and in terms of what they do or think about anything in this economy and democratic process or free enterprise system wel live in, Hawaii.
Thank you and sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
RE: Date, 01-22-2009
Just letting you know all my comments on TGI is/was centered around community issues regarding my former high school and mainly who we knew in that town. Any news thereafter arising out of such personal activities beyond the foresight of Waimea High School or the DOE, meaning in the real labor market, was brought forth due to family issues, community issues, people we have or grown to know over the years, and basically experiences in this life, anywhere usa.
Any comments made by myself reflects viewpoints and objective ideas about living in United States of America, Hawaii and not necessarily accomplishments to try to belittle anyone not agreeing or being in the same frame of thought or deed for any matter, if you catch any of it. Example, like trying to be a mayor and use the outer island relatives or relatives as advertising scheme.
We live somewhere else, and do not necessarily subscribe to the idea of home rule or representation rule in terms of residence or job. I live on another island for a long time with few relatives here in Honolulu. The view points does not represent Waimea High School even though I may have gone to school there or grew up there, or even had jobs on Kauai.
In short, I do not subscribe to the idea, that Waimea High School is where everything started, if you get my sentiments implied here. Point blank, I am not with any of my former school mates 1986 or anyone living there, in this life and in terms of what they do or think about anything in this economy and democratic process or free enterprise system wel live in, Hawaii.
Thank you and sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HIKauai wrote on Jan 26, 2009 11:44 AM:
" Hi again,
Returning customer,
Crying already or not? Regardless I may still not be with you. Think about that one!
I'm hopefull I am talking about jobs or family or community here. I am being rediculous,
but professors are the most craziest here. I actually do not need anyone's permission to write.
but sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Returning customer,
Crying already or not? Regardless I may still not be with you. Think about that one!
I'm hopefull I am talking about jobs or family or community here. I am being rediculous,
but professors are the most craziest here. I actually do not need anyone's permission to write.
but sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Jan 28, 2009 10:42 AM:
" Hi Kauai again,
Did not know I was listed under the alumni status of Waimea High School on that website? Or that I was writing about a strange football player like Jordon Dizon who needs popular votes to graduate at Waimea and Colorado?
Hey! I am the biggest loser here being associated with a guy name Jordon Dizon from Waimea High School. Think about that one?
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Did not know I was listed under the alumni status of Waimea High School on that website? Or that I was writing about a strange football player like Jordon Dizon who needs popular votes to graduate at Waimea and Colorado?
Hey! I am the biggest loser here being associated with a guy name Jordon Dizon from Waimea High School. Think about that one?
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Feb 11, 2009 12:58 PM:
" Hello again TGI,
I wrote a letter personally to Waimea High School inquiring about the status of enrollment at that school considering geographics and population number in resident in that area and that it has not really changed that much or been an important factor in deciding who graduates there. It seems to me that if you play sports, and enroll at that school, most likely HHSAA will supercede all academic work done at that school assuming you did play sports in high school or you did not.
What a tragic story, but I guess, the real story is, is this island getting any better in terms of graduation and jobs being found on your island, Kauai? Economics and politics would show that strong party politics in town prevail and no one in our class got full time jobs in that town.
just a thought here also!
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
I wrote a letter personally to Waimea High School inquiring about the status of enrollment at that school considering geographics and population number in resident in that area and that it has not really changed that much or been an important factor in deciding who graduates there. It seems to me that if you play sports, and enroll at that school, most likely HHSAA will supercede all academic work done at that school assuming you did play sports in high school or you did not.
What a tragic story, but I guess, the real story is, is this island getting any better in terms of graduation and jobs being found on your island, Kauai? Economics and politics would show that strong party politics in town prevail and no one in our class got full time jobs in that town.
just a thought here also!
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
eej_wess wrote on Feb 19, 2009 11:41 AM:
" by the way... the only reason why waimea won is because they played dirty. they called the balls out when they were actually in the court, and there was nothing else we could do about it. they played dirty in every single match and they know it. waimea is just a bunch of cheaters and didn't deserve the win. real players play fair and tell the truth. waimea is dishonest and have too much pride. they are poor sports and everyone knows it "
cookiesfrickinrock wrote on Feb 21, 2009 11:07 PM:
" i disagree with eej_wess. waimea high school has a healthy amount of pride and likes to play clean and fair. a lot of my friends say that it makes the game way more fun and challenging. i don't go there, but i have two siblings who do, so i tend to go to a lot of games and observe both the players and the fans. i believe that in all honesty eej_wess has a biased and unfair attitude about waimea high school and should keep his/her opinions about WHS to his/her self.
also, kele hanohano is a great player and deserves to go to that school in california. we'll miss him, but he'd do great. "
also, kele hanohano is a great player and deserves to go to that school in california. we'll miss him, but he'd do great. "
HiKauai wrote on Feb 23, 2009 1:00 PM:
" Hi TGI,
Please write your name when you comment so that I know who you actually are. It was hard to tell who you were commenting about. If you were one of my classmates from high school, tough it out, bro!
I do not actually need another loser commenting also on me!
best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Please write your name when you comment so that I know who you actually are. It was hard to tell who you were commenting about. If you were one of my classmates from high school, tough it out, bro!
I do not actually need another loser commenting also on me!
best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Mar 19, 2009 1:36 PM:
" Thank you for writing on lost interest but the fact remains, these issues and topic on football players remain unchanged or stat. That is they are basically called an anomaly, then strange, then rediculous. I'm happy to say however that most of them are recognized despite what have already beed said of football and UH and academics. We actually do not need to hear anymore nonsense coming out of UH. This Kenny Estes is going no further and certainly will not turn out like a Bob Nash of 1972 UH Basketball team or Les Murakami long time coach. My comments still remains as is, stat. Nothing else!
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Apr 15, 2009 10:32 AM:
" Hello TGI,
Golf and footbal?
Yeah! one other thing for k5 here in Honolulu, lose the losers from Waimea High School or remembrance thing there. No one cares here or there on Kauai, even now and then. Those names like Lyman Lacro 1986 and P. Pereira hometown favorites or Ross Kagawa, 3rd on all time baseball list. Heh! Are you delirious or what Kauai?
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Golf and footbal?
Yeah! one other thing for k5 here in Honolulu, lose the losers from Waimea High School or remembrance thing there. No one cares here or there on Kauai, even now and then. Those names like Lyman Lacro 1986 and P. Pereira hometown favorites or Ross Kagawa, 3rd on all time baseball list. Heh! Are you delirious or what Kauai?
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
RSS
HiKauai wrote on Jan 22, 2009 12:14 PM:
It has been awhile since I've commented about your articles on world news or Kauai news. Looking at this article and news in economics around the world, I would like to say to Kauai and Waimea High School, so what Jordon Dizon went 0-16 for the Detroit Lions 2008 season. Today is 1/22/2009 waiting for the superbowl XLIII to kick off 2/1/2009 sunday. Just look on the bright side of this news, at least a lot of other athletes like Aaron Francisco of Kahuku high school beat out Jordon Dizon to fame and popularity around the world. Now playing for the Arizona Cardinals. Think of it, exposure to Waimea High School from Jordon Dizon? Hey, at least others beat him there also right on fame and popularity for the island of Kauai, like Bernard Carvalho of Kapaa High School former football player in High School, now mayor as seen at the recent Barak Obama's inaugeration in Washington DC, trying to represent jobless people on Kauai, right?
Thank you for hearing me.
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "