Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres, a 24-year-old volleyball star from Oahu, an island in Hawai'i, shares her journey from island dreams to fulfilling her dreams to professional play. Her path, filled with personal growth and cultural pride, highlights the dedication required to succeed in the competitive world of volleyball.
Initially drawn to basketball due to her height along with track and field, it wasn't until the age of 12 that she discovered volleyball. Despite initial hesitations about the sport's "girly" aspects and the uniform, Saige's passion gradually grew. "This is gross. It's so girly. I want to play basketball. I don't want to wear short little shorts. And my dad too, was like, 'No, you're not wearing the tiny little booty shorts,'" Saige recalls of her initial thoughts on volleyball.
By middle school and in the early years of high school she finally bought into playing volleyball and started to pursue the sport seriously. By her sophomore year, Saige recounts, "I want to go to college and I want to play in college. And I really wanted to go play in Europe. I started thinking about playing professionally in my sophomore year of high school."
The Cost of the Islands
Being from Hawaii presented some geographical challenges. There was limited exposure compared to mainland players. Being about a 5 hour plus plane ride to the mainland meant traveling to larger tournaments was crucial but financially demanding in the world of recruiting for volleyball. Saige's parents made significant sacrifices to support her dreams. Initially committing to the University of Missouri, her freshman year of high school, she later decommitted, choosing the University of Utah for its proximity to family and its growing Polynesian community.
Saige's three years at Utah were fulfilling, but she sought new experiences. "At that point in time, I kind of just felt like I've outgrown Utah a little bit and I wanted to experience something else." In that, Saige found her second collegiate home, transferring to the University of Texas Austin. During her time as a Longhorn, she won a national championship, marking a stamp in one of college volleyball's legendary schools. She was part of one of four teams in the Longhorn volleyball program who has won a national championship.
Going Pro
Post-college, Saige played professionally in Puerto Rico and France. The overseas experience was eye-opening, revealing the differences between college and professional sports. Varied facilities and team dynamics presented challenges and culture shocks but she learned valuable lessons about adaptability and humility.
Saige says the biggest challenge transitioning from college to professional volleyball was her ego. In college, athletes have time to build relationships and the coaches care about them as people and players. Playing professionally is different because the coaches are only concerned with the athlete's performance and ability to follow their system. They don't care about building relationships and there is little time to learn the new systems. Saige says it takes humility to accept feedback without questioning it, moving on, and being a better teammate. She says that a lot of her college mindset had to change in order to be successful as a professional athlete.
"It's nice to be around people who care about you and love you just as much as you love and care about them. And it's not something that I feel like we give freely. I feel like that is earned through actions and the way that you hold yourself accountable for things and I think that goes for your career or yourself personally. And it's hard for me to trust people and reciprocate things if I feel like they don't meet those kind of standards but just small things that's kind of shaped me as a person and as a player. I mean my relationships with my coaches, my relationship with my teammates, it's very family oriented and based."
Coming Home to Austin
Returning to the United States and joining League One's Austin team, she appreciates the athlete-centered approach and the opportunity to play closer to family. She values the league's efforts to empower female athletes. She is one of the very few Polynesian volleyball players who are playing professionally in the states.
Recognizing the lack of Polynesian women in professional volleyball, Saige aims to inspire the next generation. She wants to showcase that athletes from the islands can achieve success and highlight the unique identity and contributions of Polynesian people in sports.
"Because I think that we are very special people and I think that there's a lot of Polynesians out there doing great things in the world whether that's political or athletic or whatever it is. I think that we should be talked about more and we should be appreciated more," Saige says on being Polynesian.
Saige credits her cultural upbringing for instilling values of family, loyalty, and pride. These values shape her relationships with coaches and teammates, making her career about more than just the game. Family is her biggest support system, and she seeks to create a supportive community around her wherever she goes.
Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres' journey is a testament to perseverance, cultural pride, and a deep love for volleyball. Her story serves as an inspiration, especially for young, female Polynesian athletes with big dreams on the islands and making it to the mainland to experience new opportunities.
Tips With Saige: Advice for Recruiting
- Be persistent in contacting coaches and sending them updated videos.
- Get your name out there and show coaches you are interested.
Tips With Saige: Advice for Setting
- Be a student of the game: Learn as much as you can about volleyball and continue to grow your knowledge.
- Improve hand-eye coordination: Activities like juggling can help with multitasking and seeing the whole court.
- Learn to anticipate: Chess can help with anticipating opponents' moves and planning your response.
- Be a good manager: Manage your side of the court and understand the opponents' side.
- Narrow your focus: Don't try to focus on everything at once. Prioritize a few key things each time.
Images provided by the featured individuals or sourced from their public social media profiles and online platforms. All rights remain with the original creators. Originally published in PMN+ Magazine, April 2025 (Vol. 2 No. 4).
April 2025 · Digital Magazine
