Featured on ‘Upfront’ with Guy Hagi, a segment of Hawaii News Now, “local legend” Gwen Nakamura (’84) has been the assistant marching band director at UH Mānoa for over 30 years.
Nakamura’s distinguishing feature at every basketball, volleyball, and football game is her giant balloon hat. She explained in the video/podcast: “one of our band students was from Maui– her dad flew in for every Wahine volleyball game on the weekends. He started making me hats! He no longer comes, so now a band alumni who used to play trombone in the band, he now makes all of the balloon hats. Super creative, super fun. The best part [is] at the end, giving [the hat] away to a young child, they love it.”
The name of the game– whatever sport it may be– is energy. “We’re there to get the crowd to enjoy, to clap along, or to sing along. I love it,” Nakamura said. “When new students come in, it’s always refreshing.” If the band can energize the crowd, together, they can “be the catalyst” to energize the players. Guy Hagi even asked Nakamura if she thinks the band ever influenced a win. She said, “I would hope that every game [UH] wins, we [the band] play an important role.” Regardless, the coaches recognize the importance of their support. “We had Coach Chang come during our marching band camp before school started. The coaches are always gracious, very appreciative. I think they appreciate having that energy.”
It’s not just the coaches who are grateful for the marching band– it’s the crowd too. “There’s this older couple [who] goes to men’s and women’s volleyball and basketball…and they have a sign for the band that says ‘the band rocks.’ To see that kinda stuff, it’s so awesome,” Nakamura told Hagi. “I’m a super-fan. I used to go to UH sports when I was a kid with my parents and brothers. Doing it now is so fun.”
See the full video here.