Born in Minot, North Dakota in 1933, when his family moved to O'ahu. Little did Tom have any idea the legend he was destined to become.

Haine attended Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, where he graduated in 1950. He wasn't a lettering athlete for RHS however, in 1947 a young Tom got a job at the Outrigger Canoe Club where his competitive nature and athletic prowess began to take shape. He began learning the ways of the ancient Hawai'ian watersports as well as volleyball and began to develop the skills that would come to define his legacy.

Tom left Hawai'i for Monterey Junior College and San Jose State University in California after his graduation; he played football, water polo, swimming and basketball. He excelled and was named an All American twice as a member of the swim team.

When he returned to the Islands and the Outrigger, his journey as a volleyball luminary began. He worked diligently to learn and excel at every sport the club had to offer - outrigger canoe (of course!), swimming and volleyball.

His competitive fire and determination earned him a reputation among the club as a man to be reckoned with and a leader to be respected.

In 1951 Haine competed in and won the Hawai'i Territorial Doubles Championships. He followed that up with winning the Hawai'i State Doubles Tournament. An accomplishment he would achieve 12 times over the course of his legendary career.

1956 saw Haine lead Hawai'i's first team to qualify for US Volleyball Nationals. They finished third. Haine played in Nationals every year following, being named a USVBA All American 18 times.

Haine became a member of the US Volleyball team in 1963. That team earned a silver medal and gold in 1967. In 1968, he and Pete Velasco led the inaugural men's US Olympic volleyball team at the Mexico City Olympics where they defeated a vaunted Soviet team, although they didn't medal, the victory was significant for the development of US volleyball.

Tom returned to O'ahu and the Outrigger, where, in addition to competing on the sand he was elected to the Outrigger Board of Directors in 1968. Haine held several offices of varying titles during his tenure at the Outrigger, being voted in as President in 1972 and again in 1987.

Outside the Outrigger, Tom ascended to the rank of Major in the United States Air Force as a jet pilot; he also served in the Hawai'i Air National Guard. He also became a successful banker. Never one to slow down, Tom found his way onto the Nissan Hall of Honor selection committee.

Weekends saw Tom on the sand at the Outrigger Canoe Club, where he (pun intended) held court. The Outrigger was a kind of Camelot and Tom Haine, its King Arthur. He was an intimidating, imposing figure; but he was also mentoring and nurturing to younger players. To that end, his wife Marilyn nicknamed him "Daddy".
It stuck and he became known as "Daddy" to all, even those who only knew him by reputation.

After a workout at the Outrigger in 1994, Tom Haine suffered a massive coronary that would end his life. He was only 61.

The volleyball courts at the Outrigger Canoe Club were named after Tom after his passing and every Labor Day weekend a four man draw tournament is held in his honor. The Outrigger also awards a Sportsmanship Award in his name.

Tom's fierce competitive nature and spirit was well known, but so was his fervent desire to maintain high levels of good sportsmanship and aloha. It was said he never sacrificed sportsmanship in favor of winning.

Tom Haine was survived by his wife Marilyn, their children and grandchildren, all of whom have carried on his legacy of excellence in the sport. Haine wasn't the first player of note to play at the Outrigger, but he elevated the play and culture to a higher standard of excellence, setting the foundation every player at the OCC strives to uphold now, and for generations to come.

PEdro Velasco

Pedro "Pete" Velasco
1937 - 2003

Pete Velasco was a legendary educator, coach, volleyball and basketball player in the '60's and '70's.

Growing up in Honolulu, Velasco attended and graduated from Kamehameha Schools, where he was an outstanding athlete, excelling in volleyball and basketball.

In 1956, he attended the University of Denver, where, as a member of the Denver YMCA volleyball team, he gained national recognition at the United States Volleyball Championships in Seattle, Washington.

After this short stint on the mainland, Pete returned home where he eventually found his way onto the courts of the renowned Outrigger Canoe Club, becoming a mainstay and leader of their club team.

In 1962 the Outrigger team, led by Pete blew through mainland competition, where Velasco was named a First Team All-American; an honor he would receive consecutively for the next decade. In 1965 he was named the national tournament's MVP.

A successful, dominating career domestically, Pete set his sights on international challenges, joining the US National Team and representing the country at the Pan American Games, in 1963 and '67. In 1967, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada the US secured the gold medal.

1964 was the year of the 18th Summer Olympiad in Tokyo, Japan and volleyball had been named an official Olympic sport and Velasco led the US on its maiden voyage into competition as its team captain. While there were no medals gained, the experience was priceless, fueling his competitive spirit.

Velasco and the Americans returned four years later, in Mexico City, where they defeated a heavily favored Soviet Union team in pool play.

Pete returned to Hawai'i in 1970, where his prowess continued and the accolades kept pouring in. That year he was named the Outstanding College Athlete, along with another All-American honor and the USVBA named him an "All Time Great Player".

He retired from national competition in 1972, after USVBA Nationals in Salt Lake City.

In 1978, in recognition of his stellar career achievements, Pete Velasco was inducted into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. He was the first volleyball player ever awarded that honor.

In 1979 Pete was named Chairman of Junior Olympic Volleyball Development by the AAU and in 1980 the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) inducted him into their Hall of Fame.

Pete was a fierce competitor and a great teammate and leader, but more than that, he was a passionate family man who loved spending time with his children as well as educating and coaching the youth of his community.

Pete Velasco's captaincy and leadership of the inaugural Olympic teams established a legacy of Hawai'ian volleyball that has endured for generations, solidifying Hawai'i as a hotbed and epicenter of excellence, now and into the future.

JOn Stanely

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Franny Hopeau

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The Hawaiian Island Volleyball Festival recognizes the use of diacritical markings in the modern orthography of Hawaiian language including the ‘okina [‘] or glottal stop, and the kahakō [ā] or macron. Any omissions are unintentional and, if possible, we look forward to making necessary corrections. We thank you for your understanding.