Jan. 11, 2017. Photo by Cindy Ellen Russell/Star-Advertiser.
The road less traveled is one that Victoria Kintz knows well.
The Kaimuki senior has felt the ups and downs of life as a student and athlete, moving from Mid-Pacific to Kaimuki, picking herself up from academic apathy to scholarship peaks. The Bulldogs were OIA runners-up and won their opener in the Snapple/HHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships on Monday against Nanakuli. They take on ILH champion Maryknoll tonight.
Kintz took time out to respond to this Q&A with Hawaii Prep World.
Victoria Kintz
Kaimuki basketball
Sr.
College: Signed with Holy Names University (Calif.)
Q&A / Favorites
Athlete: LeBron James
Hawaii Prep World: Isn’t he complaining and whining a bit about his team’s roster?
VK: He is whining, but he has every right to say stuff. He is LeBron.
Hobby outside of sports: Cooking and baking
VK: I cook too, so I make a super burger. It’s like a soup with hamburger and rice. I make dinners: shrimp and string beans, garlic chicken. I just like cooking. I love Cocoa Krispies. Mine are the bomb. Mine are better than the one they sell in the store. All my friends ask me to make them some. Instead of marshmallow treats I make mine with cocoa.
Food (eating out)
VK: I love food. Everywhere we go, I just love to eat. Anything, honestly.
Movie: “1000 to 1” / many Nicholas Sparks movies / Moana
VK: “1,000 to 1” is about a boy who scored 1,000 points in high school, and then he went to college and got cancer. He scores one point. It goes back to my motive and never taking anything for granted.
TV show: Empire, Quantico
VK: Empire is about the actors. I like the singing part of it. My favorite character is Cookie Lion. Quantize is about FBI trainees trying to get in, and their training is called Quantico. Someone bombs Grand Central, and they framed one of the FBI agents. I like it because of the thrill.
Music artist: Drake/ Beyonce/ Rhianna
> Drake is before a game, and Beyonce and Rhianna are any time. And Adele. I like her upbeat songs, not the sad ones.
Teacher (elementary through high school): Mr. (Bill) Spradlin, Ms. (Mary Ann) Akamine
VK: Mr. Spradlin is my teacher in AVID. It’s a college readiness program. Ms. Akamine teaches English. They’re honestly the reason why I found what I wanted in life. I used to have the worst attitude and they helped me change that, too. With Ms. Akamine, it was sophomore year, I used to not care about school. I was always tired in her class, first class of the day, she said I would be the one who misses one year and can’t handle the academics after that.
GPA:3.5
VK: “I used to have a 2.8. I’ve been getting 4.0s since the start of junior year. Knowing that I wanted to go to college and play ball, but I couldn’t go if I didn’t have the academics. I took some college classes (at KCC through AVID) now, and I’m graduating with 15 college credits.
College goals
VK: I want to get my PhD in psychology and a masters in kinesiology. I want to be able to be a part-time trainer, and work and kids and athletes, and be a psychologist full time.
Favorite class: P.E. (lol) AVID
Place to relax: Beach, my Bed
Motto/scripture: Nothing is ever handed to you If you want something go get, the only person stopping you is you. God gave me talent, what I do with it is my gift back.
What does mom say that you can’t forget?
VK: (Mom JoAnn):
“Hurry up, you’re so slow.”
“Princess, you’re not a queen yet.”
Dad (Dion):
“Good today, better tomorrow.”
What your coaches say that you can’t forget
VK: Coach Scotty Laboy (Hui Lokahi): “You’re the princess off the court. On the court, you play like one of (the boys). The boys don’t care that you’re a girl. When you step foot in here, you play physically.”
Coach Mona (Fa‘asoa) says, “Anything you do in life you do it to the best of your ability.’
How does your basketball affect your daily life during the season and offseason?
VK: Basketball is my life. During season, eating healthy is important, drinking water and lots of it. Stretching and rolling is also key. Also icing. Offseason consists of training. Tactical Strength and Conditioning twice a week and also Kenny Patton twice a week and shooting by myself. Same routine throughout the year. Basketball and training, school during the day, homework at night ’till early morning. (Leave when dark, home when dark.)
HPW: What’s eating healthy for you?
VK: It’s cutting down on all that bad side. I’ll still have my soda once in awhile, but I’ll only drink half and put it in the fridge. And the next day, it’s gone. I’ll drink a Monster, but only Monster juice and only if I had an all-nighter.
HPW: Like a college student.
VK: Yeah.
Shots per day (offseason)
VK: If I’m not training, I don’t know. Until it’s dark. We have a basket at home.
HPW: A lot of players won’t work on shooting every day year-round. Why is that?
VK: They’re lazy.
HPW: So what makes you shoot for hours every day?
VK: It’s my self-drive, wanting to be the best. My mom and dad tell me, you need a break, but when you’re self-driven, you want something bad.
What middle and elementary schools did you attend? Kainalu Elementary and St. Anthony
Where did you start playing basketball?
VK: KBA and Hui Lokahi. Most KBA kids would go to Kalaheo or a private school. I was one of those kids that played every sport basketball, soccer, baseball. I used to throw tantrums in the middle of the court when little, crying that I want to go home.
HPW: Tantrums? How old were you?
VK: When I first started playing, about 4 or 5 during KBA and practices. I didn’t want to be there. My mom would let me cry and cry and cry and yell at me to get up. I used to hate basketball. Now my mom has a hard time getting me out of the gym.
HPW: Did she or anyone else play basketball?
VK: Nobody played basketball in my family. I was one of those kids who played soccer, baseball, basketball. I used to hate baseball. Me and my brother would sit in the outfield and let the ball roll by and sit there chewing grass. I hated running for soccer in the sun. I was pretty good at basketball.
Where have you travelled for basketball?
VK: Oregon, Washington, LA, Las Vegas.
What do you like to do — or what’s something else you’re good at — that would surprise most people?
VK: Pretty smart in the classroom (small kind nerd). Really good at cooking.
What is your ultimate dream/bucket list?
VK: Traveling the world
HPW: So what would the list look like?
VK: Oh, I dunno.
HPW: What would be first?
VK:
1. Tahiti
2. Paris
3. Fiji
4. That’s kind of hard. California and Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, Legoland.
What is the history and background of your name?
VK: My mom wanted Victoria Ashley. My middle name is Katherine, named after my great grandma
Victoria Katherine, my great grandma on dad’s side.
HPW: Do you know anything about her? Any pictures?
VK: No pictures, but they said she was super nice.
HPW: Kaimuki is in the state tournament and you guys play No. 2 seed Maryknoll on Thursday. What do you think about the season?
VK: The season has been just to come this far. It’s been a success since day one. I’m going to miss Coach and the girls.
Shout outs
Darin (Yap) at Tactical Strength and Conditioning and Kenny Patton. Mom 2 for always believing in me. My family for always being there and supporting me and giving me more than I could ever imagine. Coach Mona for giving me life back to the game I love and believe that I could do it. Coach Scotty for teaching me the basics and fundamentals and Coach (Dennis) Agena for teaching me the game.
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