The all-consuming effort that Waialua’s Treylan Kobayashi puts forth on the wrestling mat never wavers. Indeed, when the prep wrestling season reaches tournament time, the senior has yet another gear.<\/p>\n
“Around the time of the (OIA) Western finals, I start doubling up on my practice time – I practice with Waialua, and I practice with my club (Grapplers),” he said. “I like the determination and drive it takes and how wrestling pushes you.”<\/p>\n
Kobayashi is hoping to put the final touches on what has been an impressive prep career at this weekend’s state wrestling championships.<\/p>\n
He finished second at last year’s state finals in the 114-pound weight class and needed a strong performance over this past weekend in the OIA overall finals to officially ensure a slot in this week-end’s state tournament.<\/p>\n
Kobayashi already had captured the OIA Western Division individual championship Feb. 9.<\/p>\n
In addition to finishing second in the state last season, he also finished second in both the West and the OIA. As a sophomore, Kobayashi won both the West and the OIA and finished fifth in the state in the 108-pound weight class.<\/p>\n
As long as he can remember, Kobayashi has wanted to win an individual state championship.<\/p>\n
“I’ve thought about competing in the Blaisdell Arena since I was a kid,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It’s been a pretty big goal for me.”<\/p>\n
Kobayashi’s introduction to wrestling began at home. Older brothers Wes and Toran competed for Waialua during their own high school days. Today Wes Kobayashi is Waialua’s head coach, while Toran assists.<\/p>\n
“I used to go every day to the wrestling room to watch them practice, and I went to all of their matches,” Treylan said. “I was in fourth grade when I started in the PAL League. My brother has been my coach from then to now.”<\/p>\n
Asked if the brothers engage in competition at home, Treylan said with a laugh, “It prevents us from fighting, so we just wrestle.<\/p>\n
“We get along,” added Kobayashi, who was still undefeated at press time at 18-0. “It’s all fun. We’re a wrestling family. My dad (Kenlan) wrestled (for Waialua High School) in the 1980s.”<\/p>\n
Except for approximately two months, Kobayashi wrestles “pretty much year-round.” Last summer, he competed in his age group for Team Hawaii at the U.S. Wrestling Nationals in Fargo, N.D.<\/p>\n
“For the couple of months I have off, I like to go to the beach and fish and hunt – outdoor things.”<\/p>\n
“When I got to intermediate (school), I really became more serious about my training,” he added.<\/p>\n
“I gave up other sports for wrestling. I used to play football in the ninth grade.”<\/p>\n
Nine years after taking up the sport, Treylan’s will to work remains one of his best attributes as a wrestler, according to Wes Kobayashi.<\/p>\n
“He has the motivation and drive – he’ll go the extra mile every day in practice,” he said. “The sport grew on him. He enjoys it.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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