A free keiki basketball clinic is coming to Kapaa, Kauai on May 22nd, 2025, part of a six-island Hawaiian Islands tour.
Free basketball clinics are coming across the 808 state as Hawai’i Hilo Men’s Basketball coaches Kaniela Aiona and Steve Kinder will embark on a journey to six islands this upcoming week to spend time teaching keiki fundamentals skills, drills and words of wisdom. On Kauai, the clinic will be held on May 22nd in Kapaa.
The clinics are set to run May 17-22 and are open to boys and girls in grades 5-8 and will be held on the west side of the Big Island in Kealakekua, central Maui in Kahului, south Moloka’i in Kaunakakai, central Lana’i in Lana’i City, Honolulu on O’ahu and east Kaua’i in Kapa’a.
“We are excited to touch down and connect with the youth basketball community across the state next week,” sixth-year Vulcans head coach Aiona said. “Basketball has been a tool for positive living here in the islands for several generations and it is our turn to pay it forward and do what we can to help grow the game. As it turns to summer, we think the timing is right to help them kick off summer with words of encouragement and habits to incorporate in their daily lives.”
Waimea native and Honoka’a alum Aiona recently wrapped up his fifth season as head coach of the Vulcans Men’s Basketball program, making a fourth-consecutive trip to the six-team Pacific West Conference Championships postseason tournament. Aiona began coaching shortly after completing a four-year playing career at Webster University – which he was later inducted as part of their 2024 athletics hall of fame class. Aiona has over 20 years as a collegiate coach and also served as head coach of Menlo College from 2014-2020.
Kinder joined the Vulcans coaching staff when Aiona returned to the Big Island in 2020. The San Diego native spent nearly 30 years at Cal Poly Humboldt as a student-athlete, assistant and head coach. As head coach, Kinder captured three conference championships and was inducted into the Lumberjacks Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
Limited sign-ups available for each clinic. Please contact the respective person listed below to sign up and receive more information.
SATURDAY, MAY 17
Kealakekua, Big Island
6:30-8:30 PM
Dawnyelle Awa
dawnyelle.awa@k12.hi.us
SUNDAY, MAY 18
Kahului, Maui
1-3 PM
Maiki Tihada
hoopheads@hoopheadsacademy.org
MONDAY, MAY 19
Kaunakakai, Moloka’i
4-6 PM
Melveena Starkey
melveena.starkey@mauicounty.gov
TUESDAY, MAY 20
Lana’i City, Lana’i
4-6:30 PM
MaryLou Kaukeano
mkaukeano@pulamalanai.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
Honolulu, O’ahu
5:30-7:30 PM
Ryan Hogue
rhogue@sacredhearts.org
ONLINE SIGN-UPS
THURSDAY, MAY 22
Kapa’a, Kaua’i
5-7 PM
James Kealalio
jkealalio@kauai.gov
