Jacey Jicha always had speed.
Ferocity. With time came the cerebral part of her game. On Wednesday, the Mililani senior signed a letter of intent to play soccer for Hawaii.
“I am super excited to start my college career and to represent UH and my family. It makes all the trainings and running worth it because now I have this amazing opportunity to continue playing soccer at home,” she said. “It’s time to really put in the work to prepare myself for college. Mentally I have to push myself harder in trainings and work even harder because it’s just beginning. Emotionally it feels amazing because it’s a dream come true.”
Hawaii Rush Club Coach Brent Murakami has witnessed Jicha’s evolution on the pitch.
“I love how Jacey has developed over the last couple of years. She used to rely strictly on athleticism, but now she is starting to understand the game better. She understands when she needs to go in for a strong tackle, when to clear the ball or when to keep the ball,” he said. “She’s the team’s safety net. Being able to chase down streaking forwards or heading services away out of the box, she’s a beast. As a center back, she is often used in set pieces like corner kicks.”
Jicha signed her letter of intent at home during a Zoom conference hosted by Education-1st. The event began at 6:20 a.m. and was streamed on Facebook Live.
“It was crazy because everything was happening so fast. Even though we are in a pandemic, the signing event was very well done and I’m glad I could be a part of it,” she said.
Jicha has a 3.87 grade-point average and plans to major in Psychology at the Manoa campus.
“I love the environment, not just the location, but the people. The coaches have a good way of motivating the team and inspiring the players to do their best at all times. The coaching staff is just amazing and I can’t wait to play under them,” she said.
Murakami and the Trojans have a winter season ahead, COVID-19 pandemic withstanding. Jicha and teammate Nicole Ando will debut with the Rainbow Wahine next season. Murakami, a former standout at Moanalua, appreciates the balance and maturity of his seniors.
“I love Jacey’s free spirit. She just enjoys spending time with friends and family. I love her drive to get better by doing additional training, but it’s good to see she can relax and enjoy family time, too,” he said. “Ultimately, I am honored to have coached her since her freshman year and I am excited to be able to watch her as she continues at UH.”
Lockdown staples
Top 3 movies/shows
1. Criminal Minds.
2. Big Brother.
3. Hallmark movies.
Top 3 food/snack/drink
1. Apples (Envy).
2. Dark Blue Gatorade.
3. Shoyu ramen, Genki Sushi (Waipio).
Top 3 music artists
1. Amy Winehouse, “Valerie.”
2. Bob Seger, “Old Time Rock N Roll.”
3. Pop Smoke, “For the Night.”
New life skill: Versatility.
College major: Psychology
Bucket list
“I want to visit Germany because it is so beautiful. I want to have fun while I’m young.”
Time machine
“1985. I would love to meet Michael Jackson, and I would visit Las Vegas.”
Shout outs
“Shout out to my mom and dad (Jamie and James) for supporting me through everything. To Hawaii Rush Soccer Club and all the coaches who have trained me throughout the years. I would love to thank Coach Kenny Patton for all the trainings over the years. And to the UH coaching staff for giving me this opportunity and believing in me. None of this would be possible without you guys and I’m very thankful for every single one of you.
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