In "The Long Game" video podcast, Mark Carpenter sits down with influential figures across the Hawaii sports community. Whether it's going down memory lane with former athletes who've ascended to the heights of their craft or meeting rising up-and-comers eager to build their legacies, this series will dive into their careers and lessons learned while having fun along the way.
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Part 2 of our conversation with Jarinn Akana dives in to his career as an NBA assistant coach and professional sports agent.
Following his playing days at the University of Hawaii, Akana maintained close contacts within the basketball community and eventually landed a coaching position with the Dallas Mavericks.
He went on to work with several other franchises before moving into the agency world, where he represented some of the league's top players and brokered millions of dollars worth of contracts.
Considered among the most successful sports executives to come out of Hawaii, Jarinn Akana carved a unique path to success.
Akana grew up a basketball star on Molokai before becoming a standout point guard with Riley Wallace's Rainbow Warriors in the mid 1990s. Akana later went on to join several NBA franchises as an assistant coach and eventually entered the world of sports management.
Over the course of 16-plus years as a professional sports agent, Akana represented some of the NBA's biggest stars and brokered hundreds of millions of dollars worth of contracts. In part 1 of this 2-part episode, Akana reflects on growing up in Hawaii and his time at UH.
Kurt Zwald is the senior director of business strategy and analytics for the Seattle Mariners.
The East Honolulu native and Punahou alum recently joined the Mariners after nearly 15 years in a similar role with the Boston Red Sox.
Before becoming a seasoned MLB front office executive, he got his start with Hawaii Winter Baseball in the mid-2000s.
In this episode, he discusses the business of pro sports, the experience of working for a championship-winning franchise, and the life lessons learned throughout his career.
Kyle Quilausing's story is one-of-a-kind. The Hilo native burst onto the scene of Hawaii's junior golf circuit before life took an unexpected turn as he fell into a downward spiral of addiction, crime, and incarceration. After spending 10 years behind bars, Quilausing has since dedicated his life to faith, family, and sobriety. He's now an influential motivational speaker, sharing his journey with youth across the nation.
Selected in the first round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft, Caleb Lomavita is a catcher with the Washington Nationals organization. The Ewa native and St. Louis alum is entering his second full professional season and is one of the league's rising stars.
In this episode, he talks about growing up in Hawaii's youth baseball circuit, his all-american collegiate career at Cal, and life in the pros.
As the founder of Brain Health Hawaii, Dr. Jason Keifer has spent years helping the state’s top athletes fine-tune and sharpen their mental performance.
His clinic specializes in a non-invasive magnetic neurostimulation treatment that has yielded positive results to overcome a number of conditions, including anxiety, depression, concussions, and PTSD.
In this episode, he discusses advancements in brain research, the importance of sleep, and the science behind “coming up clutch” and “the yips.”
Derrick Low is widely considered to be among the greatest local prospects in Hawaii prep basketball history.
The Iolani alum is a three-time Hawaii player of the year and led the Raiders to three consecutive state championships.
He went on to star collegiately at Washington State before playing professionally overseas.
In this episode, Low talks about growing up in the Kalakaua basketball clinic, life as a pro, and the lessons learned from childhood with a single father.
As the owner of Tactical Strength & Conditioning, Darin Yap has built a reputation over the years as one of the country's premier trainers.
He works closely with Hawaii's top professional athletes, including Max Holloway, Ezekiel Lau, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Joey Cantillo, and Kolten Wong.
The Aiea native is known for crafting personalized training regimens designed to help elite athletes hone their skills or assist everyday clients in reaching their fitness goals.
In this episode, he talks about working alongside pro athletes, the evolution of fitness over the years, and common training misconceptions.
Joey Cantillo is a pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians. The Kailua alum was drafted out of high school in 2017 and immediately pursued a pro career.
He spent years working his way through the minor league system before making his Major League debut in the summer of 2024.
In this episode, he discusses his time with the Surfriders, the decision to go pro, and his MLB experience thus far.
The Rainbow Warriors’ offense is clicking this season, and quarterbacks coach Chad Kapanui is a huge reason why.
The Roosevelt alum and former UH standout is back home after spending nearly two decades in Nevada, coaching national powerhouses Liberty and Bishop Gorman.
In this episode, he talks about growing up as a three-sport athlete in Pauoa, his time in Las Vegas, and the talents of Micah Alejado.
