KEAUHOU — A who’s who list of top talent from around the Big Island and the state attended the 12th annual FilAm Friendship Tennis Tournament over the weekend at the Holua Tennis Center in Keauhou.
On hand were some of the BIIF’s best including Tayvia Yamagata, April Wong, Michelle Uyeda, Emily Soares, Gil Assi, Finn Gallagher, Pancho Shelton and many more.
Yamagata is a three time league champion, which includes two individual titles and a doubles title. She also finished runner-up in the state tournament as a doubles player three years ago and as a singles competitor this past season.
For the Konawaena graduate, who will be attending Sacramento State this fall, she has competed in the FilAm tennis tournament on multiple occasions and has racked up the victories. However, the tournament really isn’t purely about wins for Yamagata.
“It’s not about being super competitive, it’s about having fun,” Yamagata said . “The tournament helps bring people together, even from the Hilo side, and this year there are a lot of great players.”
Yamagata competed in both the women and mixed open division, playing with Kealakehe graduate April Wong and Konawaena head coach Richard Kahalioumi.
“Playing with my coach is always fun,” Yamagata said. “He is a goofball and I even think our opponents like playing against him.”
The tournament featured a men’s division as well and included levels of play from college and club pro players, all the way down to beginners.
Megan Baguso competed in her second FilAm Friendship tourney, playing in the women’s 8.0 division with her Konawaena High playing partner Caileen Teramoto. Baguso competed at 7.0 last year and won the tournament with playing partner Ka’ilikea Kahalioumi-Taketa.
Coincidentally Baguso had to play her former playing partner in the opening round of this year’s tourney.
“I love this tournament and the people,” Baguso said. “Everyone bonds and becomes friends.”
“It is a very friendly tournament,” Teramoto added.
The FilAm Friendship tourney was started by Lovette Llantos 11 years ago.
“She is very civic minded and this tournament is very close to her heart,” said Errol Llantos, Lovette’s husband. “She loves tennis and the tournament helps to raise money for kids who are inspired to do better in life, but may not have the money to go to college.”
The tourney is no easy task to put on. Errol Llantos says that work begins months in advance and everyone that helps out does so on a volunteer basis.
“No one is paid,” he added. “In fact, many of the volunteers donate their own money for anything that may be needed such as drinks, food and any other resources.”
The FilAm Friendship tourney is one of the largest in Hawaii with an average of 170 players registering every year. In fact, Lovette Llantos says the event is “the biggest non-sanctioned US Tennis Association Tournament in Hawaii.”
The tournament not only brings in players from the state, but also a few players from the mainland.
“There are three or four people that travel here every year just for the tournament,” Errol Llantos said. ‘They even plan their vacation around it. Kids also play in the tournament and then they go to college, but always come back to play again.”
Helping with the tournament every year is the Kona Visayan Club. The club has donated time and funds since nearly the beginning.
“They came aboard in either the second or third year and they signed up right way after we approached them,” Errol Llantos said. “They said to us ‘whatever we need.’ They cook most of the food, and it is not just hotdogs and chips. It is onolicious food, authentic Filipino food, home cooked.”
Along with tennis and food, the FilAm Friendship tourney also includes vendor booths, games and a dunk tank — which comes with an extra bonus of many political candidates volunteering.
“There is a little something for everyone,” Errol Llantos said.
For more information visit filamtennishawaii.com.