Aloha, Jamie Smith
If anything, the 2012-13 season for the Hawai’i men’s basketball team can be remembered as the year of the student section.
The student section in the Stan Sheriff Center finally flourished at basketball games, under the guidance of Jamie Smith. Attendance in the student section averaged more than 400 – which was nearly double the amount of last season.
Long-time Hawai’i basketball fans can attest that student support has never been a strongpoint for the program … until this season.
“I hope I can be back next year to continue what we did,” Smith said. “That’s just the beginning.”
And not just that, the students were active. There were choreographed movements to distract the opponents, as well as chants and signs.
As Smith so often put it: “Every game is a party!”
The theme nights were perhaps the most memorable, with “Star Wars Night” topping the list that also included Afro-Wig Night, ‘70s Disco Night and Face Paint Night. Many of the students participated in the themes, attending the games dressed in the appropriate costumes to match the theme.
“Star Wars Night was the event I put the most planning in all year,” he said. “And just to be able to see that in person was one of the best memories I get to take with me.”
Smith’s status for next season is undetermined due to a work visa issue, so he will return to his native home of England for the summer. He has already departed Hawai’i, so if the Warriors manage to hit a long shot and receive a postseason home game, he will not be able to attend.
If Smith is unable to return next season, he said he has contacted several members of the “Manoa Maniacs” student section and informed them of the details and plans to continue the progress.
“I put together a little package for them of all the things we did this year,” he said. “Everything is laid out for them so that they can follow that same plan and maybe incorporate that into other sports as well.”
Smith said he wanted to thank members of the Hardcourt Hui (Bruce Nakamura, Nate Smith, Tony Schmidt and Valerie Schmidt) as well as Richie Mudd for providing assistance to allow him to extend his stay in Honolulu and attend last week’s Big West Conference Tournament.
They said it couldn’t be done, generate interest in Men’s Basketball, and other Stan Sheriff Center sports, however you, Sir Jamie Smith did a great job! Man, I hope you come back next season. I sincerely believe, Gib gets the roster ready and maybe an addition or two athletic MBB players, SSC and the Manoa Maniacs will be coming out 800+ strong next year. Our young ones, at UH, are having a blast, a PARTY! Mahalo Plenty Jamie. Please UH, bring Jamie back if possible.
And thank you to Gib, out of pocket, help to promote MBB and Jamie Smith coordinating, door to door, pep rallys, passing out flyers, the fans, young and old, appreciate it. Hope season, goes on in CIT, long shot, probably not likely, maybe Jamie, you can watch on a video live online stream if UH hosts Air Force in CIT first round, if CIT invites UH.
Anyways, UH Basketball became a MAJOR PARTY, the fans and students love you, Gib and the team!
Aloha Jamie, and be safe! 😀
All this doom and gloom with MBB season, shoots, they finished with a winning record, conference winning record. And it looks like Gib might have more athletic players coming in for next year alongside the returnees. Team should be faster on O and D.
Thank you Brother Jamie Smith. Party Central SSC every home game! The Maniacs love what you did. It is going to get larger, students will shoot for that 1000+ mark, as team grows and starts to win big games.
Aloha Brother Jamie.
I am surprised more don’t post their thank you! Well I will, Mahalo Brother Smith!!
Mahalo No e A Hui Hou, Jamie
(Come Back Soonest!)
NO ONE is Overly Happy with “Everything” in The Program
BUT Big-Time Winning Most Often Starts with Smaller Wins
SUSTAINABLE Efforts…
Recruiting Four or Five Year STUDENTS-Athletes
Teaching & Working With Them to REACH-OUT to THEIR Class-Mates
These ARE Friends-For-LIFE who WILL Become Part of The Next Generation of Packed SSC-2 Arenas
REAL Noisy, Boisterous, SMART Home-Court Advantages that Build Upon Themselves…
INTO A WINNING Program…
Thanks, Richie, Schmidts, Hardcourt Hui, Students, Leadership & Dayton & Co.
Thanks Jamie for all your hard work. It was pleasure to have met up with last December, sitting at SSC watching the beautiful game (not soccer), and trip to Molokai. One thing I loved about the Brits is their dry sense of humour, very funny they are. Isaac displays that trait big time.
I do hope you are back for next, it will be an exciting year. Enjoy your break back in England with your my family and my regards to the Queen.
SAY What You Will, ‘Cos You Will…
ONLY Third Post-Season in TEN Years?
THAT IS A RISING Trend…
We’ll BeThere WEDNESDAY Night IF TRUE
We’re MEETING Big, Bad Air Force Academy!
Jamie-
I look forward to the video that says “It’s official-Jamie’s back!” Thanks for the shout out. We did our small part in supporting you.
YOU are the MAN who made it all happen! Week after week, I have been soooo impressed with all of your ideas and even now when I talk to you and the ideas are still spilling out of your brain! Take care, and travel safe! Until you are back in the islands…..
Aloha,
Val
In behalf of my dad and myself, jjay, Yahooooo! CIT game against AF on Wed. We are the long time UH MBB fans, dad had season tickets to Larry Little, Frank , and Riley’s seasons when they lost over 23 games. So any bit of March Madness is a good thing.
jjay, warriors, have to bring it and WIN. you are right, second chance, now dance, and play to win, against another tough team, Air Force.!!
Aloha and Mahalo Dallan and jjay.
Hey, Tonganator, Aussie, and Ozi Mum, and Memphis Mom, Sons have one more game to play, They are part of March Madness NCAA!
Go Team, go warriors!
😀 !!!
hoopsa and uhf. 😀
THIS IS NOT The Air Force Academy i remember playing…
For One Thing they’re TALLER (Than US?)
6-10, 6-10, 6-9, 6-8, 6-8, 6-8, 6-8, 6-7, 6-6 …
HOW CAN they fit IN A Cockpit?
Their Last FIVE WINS ARE: (8-8 In Mountain West Conference)
– New Mexico
– Wyoming
– UNLV
– SDSU
– Fresno State
SO Even @ Home we’re Probably UNDERDOGS…
Can you say one and done!!!! Thus, play all the freshman and underclassmen so give them experience for next year. Prediction, we will lose this game by 8 to 10 points. Air Force is a very good team.
Hi Jamie,
Sad to see you go but hope you will be back – if you are ever down under, I would love to take you to the footy and enjoy a beer and pie with you!!!
Valerie and UHF have really said it all – ditto from me.
To all of Jamie’s supporters – super effort from you guys – you are an amazing group of people over there and the UHMBB team is all the better for it!
Go Warriors!
Realistically … WE Would All Wish for Something More…
Like a WIN or TWO …
One And Done,
One And Done, Again
Sounds REDUNDANT
So,
WIN ʻBows!
LAST Game(s) AS “Rainbow Warriors”!
FINISH in a Fluorish of WINNING…!
NOT TOO LATE To Step Up
And GO CRAZY Like We Hoped for ALL Season …
i Hear There IS A Shortage of TEAMS WILLING To (Front $35-50K and) Host… SO
IF YOU KEEP Winning @ Home You Might Get to Keep Staying @ Home
(NOT Everyone CAN Make Money at it…
Probably NO One Else in The Big West.
The FEDS & Air Force Really “Donʻt KNOW HOW”
They Just ASK Daddy Congress for The Bucks…
Continue INCREASING the Crowds and We CAN…)
HOME, Where WE OFTEN Play Well…
Pick Up some Pizzazz and Consistency NOW and it could Pay Off…
As Well as Serve as a Spring Board to A Better 2013-2014 Season…
YOU CAN DO THIS….
Show ʻEm How, BJ & GIB….
Pack the house for CIT. One more game for the Seniors and one more game to prepare for the future. Thank you Riley. Thank you Jamie..
Regardless, we will be there to support the team and hope they pull through. Survive and Advance.
This is our little “Big Dance.”
Derek: Agreed , Ditto, from fans in Hawaii, who don’t post, however a lot read our comments, and around the globe from Angola to Australia, just win , and chance to advance, I like that, March Madness mini. “the little Dance” can prepare for hopefully THE BIG DANCE for several years to come. !
Good one Derek, and from UHF and Hoops, etc, all forums, and Warrior Nation, I think the faithful 4500 will be there on Wed nite, and UH, just bring it, as Eagle and jjay, say: just play to win, max effort.
ONE MORE DANCE! Hopefully a Win!
😀 !!
And , sorry Jamie, safe trip back to the United Kingdom, thank you from the Maniacs, enjoyed how you brought us all together!
Hopefully UH can get a win for you, with the backing of at least a bunch of MM’s there at SSC Wed nite, against Air Force CIT first round.
We, really appreciate all you and especially Gib, not enough kudos to that guy, for stirring up interest in MBB and UH!
Mahalo, and we really really hope you can come back next year, or best wishes on perhaps landing a coaching job on a Professional Team!
Aloha and Thank you Jamie!
UHF and Hoops, and the Maniacs!!
You are awesome Jamie, hopefully you can return in a few months, OK it’s CIT Time, Warriors come on and make it happen, I get really up for gametime but it’s been depressing lately the past month, play like champions from the start wednesday night, dont wait till the second half, forty minutes of HELL , come on.!!!
Great job Jamie Smith! Your energy and great ideas were just awesome!