Editor's note: Cayley Thurlby came to Hawai'i from the Chicago area in 2002 as a two-time all-state volleyball player out of the vaunted Sports Performance club. After red-shirting her first year, she has been backup to All-American setter Kanoe Kamana'o the past four seasons. A devastating series of injuries has left her the first player off the Rainbow Wahine bench at left- and right-side hitter and setter her senior year.

Her versatility does not end there. Thurlby is an academic all-WAC student actively involved in Hawai'i's Student Athlete Advisory Committee and will graduate in the spring when she completes 10 independent study credits. Ideally, that will happen in Europe, where she will pursue a professional volleyball career indoors the next few years before trying the beach game.

"She is just the greatest kid you would ever want to coach," says UH coach Dave Shoji , who figures Thurlby could start for 90 percent of the Division I teams in the country. "She has the greatest attitude. Her work ethic is so great. You just want to play her. But she's had to take several roles. ... She understands that she is very, very valuable to us."

In five years, Thurlby hopes to be a "career woman living in Chicago and wearing a suit." Her success would not surprise Shoji. She is passionate and compassionate, organized and articulate, and a dual major in broadcast journalism and marketing. Thurlby has interned at a TV station and written in a journal and on the UH website since landing in Hawai'i. Her unique perspective and talents encouraged us to ask her to write about her Rainbow Wahine career.

ANOTHER SENIOR CLASS, WILL WE LEAVE OUR MARK?

I am pretty sure that being a Rainbow Wahine goes far beyond any other collegiate volleyball experience. I think (former UH associate coach) Charlie Wade said it best when he sold me about the program:

"Where else in the country can you play in front of a crowd of 7,000 people every night?," he asked me. "Thurlby you will be walking down the street and people will recognize you ... our players are like celebrities over here!"

I was all about being a part of something larger than life, playing next to all-Americans, and potentially playing in the final four; living in Hawai'i wasn't so shabby either. Each year brought something new and amazing; there were plenty of surprises that came from being on your own thousands of miles away from home.

As most college students do, I learned to adapt. Each year more people became a part of my life. My father's reassuring glances and mother's nurturing ways were replaced with the shoulders of my friends. They were the people that cried with me, laughed with me, and lived with me. These friends are irreplaceable and the best part about it is that most of these people were fellow athletes or my teammates; we shared a passion to play.

As summer came to an end I was always so anxious to get back to the island to train and experience what new pleasures independence and college life would bring me. From 2002 till 2006 I have been able to experience Hawai'i, scope out all the local hot spots, and fall in love with island life day after day. Here is just a little picture of the memories I hold close to my heart.

2002

My freshman year brought a lot of new experiences in independence, eating and playing volleyball at a whole new level.

My first night in Hawai'i I accompanied Melody (Eckmier), Nohea (Tano), Margaret (Vakasausau) and Hedder (Ilustre) to a friend's home for a barbeque. Let's just say that this barbeque wasn't the kind that I was used to back in Chicago. The brats and burgers were replaced with squid luau, opihi, kalua pig, poke, and poi.

I plunged into this new opportunity ... head first. That night was the first and last time that I ever ate opihi ... no regrets. My first few weeks of independence taught me that there were no secrets amongst my new family; our team knew everything about one another. We were each other's backbone and support system. Margaret and Jen (Carey) were two incredible women that I looked up to for their strong friendship regardless of the fact that they were in constant competition ... a relationship that I was going to become familiar with very soon.

One of my most memorable experiences came during double days during a midnight fire alarm. We were woken from our slumber by the screeching demon. As we scrambled from our cots and shuffled out of Stan Sheriff Center, Margaret counted us off one at a time. She then proceeded to call (coach) Dave (Shoji) to tell him the news. Ten minutes later, Mary Shoji arrived in their Expedition. We later found out that Dave was still in bed; he had rolled over and handed the phone to his wife.

She took us to their home in Manoa, where we spread out across the house and even invaded (sons) Erik and Kawika's rooms to catch up on lost sleep. In the morning, we were awakened by Dave, who insisted that we were still practicing, no questions asked. I think Kim (Willoughby) almost took my head off at practice that day with a spike. Welcome to the big leagues, Cayley!

2003

The banquet for the final four was at a Women''s Museum in Dallas. I remember going on a tour that reminded us of significant women in history. Most had gifts of art, leadership, athletics, politics, creativity and especially individuality. My favorite exhibit was on Harriet Tubman. Ever since I was a little girl I have been fascinated with her stories of courage, faith, determination in her travels where she risked her life to free her fellow slaves. The stories of girl power were great motivation for the games ahead of us.

For those of you that don't remember that year, we lost in the final four to Florida. But there is always a lesson to be learned. We all found out that there is more to a team than winning. Sometimes we can give 110 percent and not be victorious, but the hard work and commitment is never forgotten. Lauren (Duggins) summed it up best on the bus as she battled tears, thanking her teammates and coaches along with every person involved in our program. She reminded us to hold our heads up high and cherish the memories because her four years as a Rainbow Wahine were the best of her life.

As a senior I have started to accept that all things come to an end at some point. But as the end of our season approaches I am starting to hold on tighter ... to everything. I have been through some intense losses in the past and glorious victories, played with some amazing ladies and been able to experience volleyball on a level that few other Division I athletes are able to. In the end, I know it is what you take away from the entire experience — the school, the culture, the state, coaches, fellow athletes and my teammates. In the end the game is just a game, and we are all winners.

2004

In 2004, the team had a phenomenal year surprising the entire island and the volleyball world as we went 30-1. This was a year where our volleyball family went through a lot. We were plagued with injuries start to end, with Ashley Watanabe's season ending after a hand injury in Colorado. That was followed by a devastating loss to Wisconsin.

There are those years that won't ever be forgotten. This season was one of them. There was something special and a mysterious explanation is still looming. Maybe the answer is somewhere deep inside every fan, or any individual who ever loved volleyball. We don't know what it was, but I hope you can have a better understanding of our team — the bond that we have with each other and the state of Hawai'i.

Teisa Fotu was an incredible teammate; she joined our program with only one year of eligibility left and left a huge mark in our hearts. She was not only the president of the local Kanak Attack Club, but a daily example of hard work and determination.

Today Teisa is married and coaching BYU-Hawai'i's basketball team. She is in an entirely new stage in her life. I can't help but laugh as I think back to the alumnae game this year when Teisa came running into the locker room asking for knee pads. I laughed and threw a pair at her. Some things never change. Teisa taught me that sometimes details don't matter if your heart is headed in the right direction. She was always looking out for her friend's best interest. One day one of our teammates came into the locker room and asked to borrow 20 bucks. After some silence, Teisa offered to lend her the money. Afterwards Teisa looked at me and said, "Shoot, I think I needed that money for gas to get back to La'ie tonight." That was Teisa, always putting the needs of others before her own.

Melody Eckmier knew the ins and outs of Wahine volleyball. She could probably write a pretty lengthy gossip column. I know this year was the best for Melody. It was a team with no superstars, and we were the real deal. It was a team that she led without being on the court during a year of frustration. It couldn't have been easy, and I look at her with the deepest respect because there are not many people who would continue to be such a strong team leader day in and day out. I learned so much from this lady that would prepare me for my senior year, as well as the rest of my life.

2005

The beginning of our 2005 journey started in Nebraska with the NACWAA. We started against Nebraska, Stanford, Penn State, USC, and Washington — the type of competition we needed to be a better team in the end, win or lose. I know there were people out there that were skeptical of whether or not we would have a record as impressive as the year before. On the other hand, there were the true believers that thought we are capable of anything.

This is the magic of sports and being entertained. Our fans watch because they never know what is going to happen. No one can predict the future, and there is not one single player or coach that has control over the game. Isn't that the beauty and addictive attraction of athletics?

As athletes, we are taught that the kind of mark we leave behind is based on a number, but we aren't going to be remembered by the number of matches we won over the years, what kind of hitting percentage we had, or whether or not we made the record books. Through the years, I have learned not to savor the tangible things in life. They are only temporary material possessions that cannot make a person completely satisfied in life. I learned to enjoy the process instead of getting caught up in what the future holds. Sometimes the things that happen in our lives are entirely out of our control.

2006

It is hard to write about something you don't want to end, to talk about the people that make up my day, that I interact with and call my family. A new chapter of my life is going to begin and the Hawai'i chapter has come to an end. Well, geez, don't get all mushy on me yet ... it isn't over until the fat lady sings, right?

In my mind, this season has been one of the greatest rides yet. Our team has been faced with more challenges this year than any other team I have been on. Through coaching changes, injuries, and a few family feuds we have been forced to grow up faster than we would have liked. Life is going to throw us curveballs whether or not we like it. I want to go out swinging, not ducking.

I have gained strength to think this way through my teammates. Tara Hittle continues to discover the profound impact she has on people everyday, and inspires me to always stay faithful to my Christian faith. Jessica Keefe has taught me that sometimes our biggest fears are going to confront us head on, and there might be no way out. Kari Gregory continues to show me love for others, through her close relationship with her family and her caring nature that never stops giving.

Ryan Tsuji is often referred to as the luckiest guy on the island working as our team manager; however, I am one of the luckiest girls to have such an honorable friend. Ryan has seen me through my entire career here in Hawai'i. I cherish the times we have story hour reflecting on the past memories that make us cry and laugh at the same time. Being a senior means I am getting older. The status screams "You are almost in the real world!" Well I'm ready ... I think. Let's just not rush through this next month.

ALOHA HAWAI'I

The memories and experiences go beyond words and will be something me and my teammates will share for a lifetime. This is life, and this is what growing up is all about. We have to be flexible to change. Natasha Bedingfield puts it well in her song Unwritten: "Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it release your innovations... only you can let it in.... Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten."

It's not the things we do, it is the people that are there at our side day in and day out. The memories are what define being a Rainbow Wahine. The tradition of our program is separated by generations of women, but joined by memories of the fans, the school and our teammates.

In the end, I hope that we are not judged by one another in terms of skill or championships. I hope we are concerned with how to give back to a program that never stops giving. The program and the players that have stolen my heart will continue to produce amazing athletes for generations to come; a senior class is just a small part of Wahine history. We are talking about a short yet memorable chapter in our lives that has prepared us for the unpredictable, the sometimes scary and forever-changing journey called life. Thanks Hawai'i for making this Chicago girl fall in love with Paradise.