OUR STORY

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Strikers was founded in the Spring of 2009.  Merton and Bernice Ishida were introduced to Eric and his daughter, Elyse Tsutsui, in Hawaii Kai Zippy's on a Friday night by Sam Aranio, a former band teacher at Niu Valley Middle School.  Aranio was the band teacher for the Ishida girls in the 1980s.  Elyse was his band student in 2008.  Eric was looking for a softball team for his daughter.  Merton, State ASA/JO (Amateur Softball Association/Junior Olympic) Commissioner, who had been attempting to rejuvenate a Hawaii Kai club softball program, suggested Eric find some of Elyse's friends to play, too. Merton's granddaughter, Taylor Kishinami, was playing Pintos at the time and needed to make the switch to softball instead of having to play in the boys' Mustang League.   Thus, East Honolulu Girls Softball - Strikers was born.

  Gary Wade, Merton's former "Krusher" Hawaii Kai Makule softball teammate, volunteered to head coach and Eric agreed to co-coach this inaugural team.  Eric brought on Blaine Yoshioka (a former Kaiser High School classmate of his wife, Wendy Tsutsui) and his daughters Megan and Brenna.  Since this first Spring 10-and-under team, Joy Ishida, Taylor Kishinami's mother and former Iolani School and Purdue University softball player, joined the EHGS coaching staff, along with more coaches with daughters including Alan Nakamura, Baba Mahoe, Brad Gushiken and Reid Sagawa.  Since then, EHGS has added a 8's, 12's, 14's,16's, 18's team.