Sophomore Sets the Stage for the Spikers

It's a long way from the beaches of Waikiki to the confines of the Malkin Athletic Center.

And for Hawaiian Maia Forman, the Harvard volleyball team's sophomore captain, the move to Cambridge has meant leaving behind--at least temporarily--a winning volleyball program.

Forman's involvement with the sport dates back to eighth grade, when she managed her town's high school volleyball team. All the excitement generated on the court inspired her to try out for the team--so the following summer, she took up volleyball.

She made the junior varsity team as a rookie, and went on to play three years of varsity. And as a senior, Forman helped her high school--the University of Labratory--post a 17-0 record and capture the state championship.

Not bad for a former manager.

"Maia has good skills, and she is an intelligent player," University of Labratory Coach Raplee Fitsimmons says. "She was instrumental in our winning the title."

Perhaps the most incredible statistic from the championship campaign is that the squad dropped only one set all year.

Back East

Although Forman was born in New York, she moved to Honolulu when she was four. But when it came time to apply to colleges, she already had a link with Harvard--one of her three brothers, David, had come to Cambridge the year before.

David is currently a junior, and a defensive back on the varsity football team. "Having my brother here is the biggest help," Forman says. "It's nice to know that he is here if I need him."

Despite the family tie, though, Forman initially viewed Harvard as an impersonal school. And on the court, she realized that the volleyball program was unorganized and going through a difficult transition period.

"I suspected that the volleyball program wasn't good," Forman says. "But I'm glad that I came to Harvard, because the challenge is building a strong program."

"I didn't attend Harvard for volleyball," the Kirkland resident adds. "My brother was here and I wanted to attend an East Coast school--so it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

Even though last year's squad struggled, Forman managed to earn Second Team All-Ivy honors.

And this year, with a new coach--Wayne Lem--and Forman at the helm, the spikers have built a foundation for future success.

Forman's goal for this year is to improve on the Crimson's 4-17 record of 1985, and to finish among the top four Ivy squads.

Forman is especially talented at digging balls off the floor, a skill she developed from her high school training on the beaches.

"The main difference between Harvard and Hawaiian volleyball is that emphasis is placed on defense in Hawaii, and on passing at Harvard," Forman said.

After college, Forman plans to attend graduate school in Hawaii and study in the Public Health field. Last year, she worked for Phillips Brooks House in her spare time.

For Forman, being a young captain of a struggling team is more of a challenge than an obstacle. But then again, if it weren't for her independence, she may never have gotten involved with the sport in the first place.

"I started playing volleyball because it was the only sport my brothers didn't play," Forman says. "I grew up playing sports with my brothers--so this was the first time they couldn't tell me what to do, because they didn't know the sport."

And all the Harvard players have come to appreciate Forman's dedication to the sport.

"Maia's age doesn't matter, I don't think of her as a sophomore on the floor," junior Callie Huber says. "I think of her as a teammate."