Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 4, 1 April 2000 — Story telling [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Story telling

November 1 999 marked the first issue of Hawai'i Sports Journal. The eulmination of a dream for publishers Glen and Faith Freitas, Hawai'i Sports Journal records the triumDhs and stories of Hawai'i's student athletes.

By Jayson Haipei WHAT DO you need to start a magazine dedicated to high school athletics? According to Hawai'i Sports Joumal co-founder Faith Freitas, passion. dedication and a husband who is a self

professed sports fanatic. Faith her hnshanH anH

business partner Glen Freitas and associate pubhsl er and art direc-

tor Rus sell

Shindo are the driving forces behind Hawai'i Sports Journal. Hawai'i Sports Joumal is the only magazine in the state that covers and promotes high school athletics. According to Faith, the idea for the magazine eame out of fervid meetings that Glen would have with friends. "Glenn and his friends would have these meetings about the magazine. Then they ; would tell me about the ideas and ask if I was as excited as they were about it and 1 would say no. However, over time 1 realized that the idea was solid and soon I was sold on it," said Faith. Glen and Faith aren't strangers to the publishing business; both have worked | for Honolulu based Trade Pubhshing. Thev raised cai)ital for their venture sell-

ing personal assets and in November of 1999 the first issue of Hawai'i Sports Journal rolled off the presses.

At first glance the magazine incorporates many visual elements that sea

soned sports magazine subscribers might recognize

from ESPN magazine. The covers are bold and vibrant The premier issue featured a cover story on high schoc rivalries with high school joumalists writing many ol the stories ranging ffom proper exercising techniques to essays about the

benefits of dmg testing. Hawai'i Sports Joumal is in fact the only commercial publication in the state in whieh aspiring high school

joumahsts have the opportunity to publish their work. "The reward for us is having this magazine to provide the means to record the triumphs

of high school athletes. This

magazine is for the athletes, student journalists and students," said Glen. Hawai'i Sports Joumal prints 15,000 copies monthly. The magazine is available free of charge at all state high schools and several retail outlets. "So far the response has been very positive. We have to restock distribution >1 points," said Glen. The future is evolving, according to Glen. p "The emphasis of the magazine will always be high school athletics. However I can't mle out the possibility of covering more loeal eollegiate sports."

lL Like other commercial publications Hawai'i Sports Joumal relies on display advertising sales. The magazine has been successful in attracting advertisers and Glen and Faith have been marketing the publication to

loeal businesses and advertising agencies. In addition to their own efforts, Glen and Faith are quick to attribute mueh of their success to the efforts and support of Russell Shindo, Trade Publishing, editor Lanee Tomi-

naga, as well as their talented pool of student ioumalist throiifhout the state.

mm Glen and Faith wear many ■ hals at Hawai'i Sports Jourjj| nal; they are its photograI phers, salespeople and writj ers. Glen recently completed p a story on the Hilo High | School men's basketball I team, whieh was crowned I state high school basketball I champions this past season. I "A lot of people don't know I that Hilo has a long basketball | history. The starting lineup on I this team have the kind of eonfidence that made them unstop- ' pable during the season," said nipn Aoiiine* all r*HHc fhic

small team from Hilo advanced through the state championship

toumey dominating larger schools such as Kamehameha, Punahou, 'Iolani and St. Louis. Glen flew to Hilo and met with the teams starting hne-up. After spending a day observing their daily routine of meeting friends, watching traffic in Keaukaha and playing basketball at their favorite court, he realized what makes high school athletics unique. "At this level the game is still pure. The kids play from the heart; they're not getting paid. They play because they love the game, my responsibility as a publisher is to tell their stories." ■

PHOTOS: HAWAI'I SPORTS JOURNAL

Above; Faith Freitas and Russell Shindo eheek proofs. Bottom left; Glen Freitas poses for the camera.