Hawaii's Local Athletes

Voices of the Islands: Perspectives from Local Athletes

To truly understand Hawaii's sporting spirit, listen to our greatest champions. Across diverse disciplines, a common thread emerges: profound sense of kuleana—uniquely Hawaiian concept of responsibility and privilege—to represent home, honor heritage, and give back to the community that raised them. Personal success is viewed as collective victory for the islands.

Carissa Moore (Surfing)

Olympic gold medalist and multiple-time world champion from Honolulu embodies aloha spirit. Recently, her motivation shifted from pure competition to deeper purpose. "I've definitely been driven by my love and joy for surfing, and wanting to share that with other people and inspired them to chase their own passions."

This purpose channels through her Moore Aloha Foundation, expanding programs that empower young women. Her perspective on pro career unpredictability teaches resilience: "Nothing is ever going to go according to plan... you kind of just have to roll with the punches and figure it out."

John John Florence (Surfing)

North Shore generational talent speaks to immense dedication required for surfing's pinnacle. "You sacrifice time with friends. You sacrifice time with family. You sacrifice a lot of things and you have to be okay with that."

Now a father, his focus shifted to being present for family—a paramount value. His legendary equipment knowledge shows constant experimentation with surfboard designs for perfect feel knifing under massive barrel lips or generating speed on small waves.

Max Holloway (UFC)

From Waianae, former UFC Featherweight Champion carries fierce hometown pride into the octagon. His confidence is clear, famously declaring himself "the best boxer in the UFC." This belief roots in deep desire to stand up for himself and community. "I thought that he was a bully, and I just wanted to be the bully's bully."

Holloway understands immense home support and speaks of incredible reception returning to Hawaii, embodying the islands' warrior spirit.

Marcus Mariota (Football)

The first Hawaii-born Heisman Trophy winner speaks with deep emotion about home connection. At a Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii speech, he fought back tears offering his best advice: "Never forget where you come from... being able to show where we come from, how we're raised, it's important. It's important to me because I've got kids."

He perfectly captures the islands' collective spirit: "if one person is successful the entire state is successful. And to be a part of that, it's something special."

Shane Victorino (Baseball)

Known as "The Flyin' Hawaiian," the two-time World Series champion from Maui offers retired athlete perspective who remains passionate fan. He speaks to professional sports' mental and physical grind, especially dealing with injuries preventing 100 percent performance. "It's more important than the mental because if you're physically in pain, you're mentally burnt."

His commentary reflects deep game love and appreciation for dedication required to compete at the highest level.

The Common Thread: Kuleana and Community

These athletes share something profound: they understand that their success represents more than personal achievement. They carry the hopes, dreams, and pride of an entire state. This kuleana—responsibility and privilege—drives them to give back, inspire others, and never forget their roots.

Whether it's Carissa Moore's foundation work, Marcus Mariota's youth mentoring, or Max Holloway's community pride, these champions embody the aloha spirit that makes Hawaii special. They remind us that true victory is lifting others up along the way.