Rainbow Wahine volleyball coach Dave Shoji smiles ruefully when he talks of recruiting "kids of kids who played for me." The way recruiting is evolving in his sport, Shoji could soon be recruiting the kids of the kids of the kids who played for him.

In a month, Shoji starts his 33rd season as Hawai'i coach. The 'Bows open against Michigan Aug. 24 in the Asics Rainbow Wahine Invitational. Women's volleyball bears little resemblance to when he started in 1975, and won four national titles his first 13 years.

Chemistry remains the elusive unknown, but the game revolves around size, speed and strength for all the elite teams now. And there are many, many more elite teams, searching for many, many more elite athletes.

That search is starting much, much sooner. College coaches cannot comment on specific recruits until they sign a letter of intent their senior year, but a quick search of the www.RichKern.com volleyball site has listings of Division I players who have committed through the Class of 2010.

As many as 80 percent of the top-tier recruits in the Class of 2008 have already committed, estimates Shoji, and five from that class are from Hawai'i. Sydney Yogi and Kanani Herring, who will be seniors at Punahou and Kamehameha, respectively, are training with the Youth National Team now in California. Yogi says only two of her teammates there have not committed to a college, and that is not for lack of offers.

Yogi made a verbal commitment to Texas in November — exactly a year ahead of the earliest signing period. Herring chose Hawai'i over UCLA and Washington in March.

"If I didn't decide and waited there probably would have been a lot less to look at in colleges," Herring said. "Only a very few of the elite girls have not committed yet."

Brittany Hewitt gleefully gave her verbal acceptance to the Rainbow Wahine before this summer started, a few months after the 6-foot-3 junior middle blocker helped Eagle High School to a 38-0 record and the Idaho state championship.

She and Herring make up Hawai'i's 2008 recruiting class.

"I was not at all ready for being recruited," admits Hewitt, who recalls letters "flowing in" from schools as soon as the NCAA-mandated date came. "Nothing seemed like reality until the day I committed to Hawai'i. It was like, 'Wow, I decided where I'm going to college.' "

NECESSARY EVIL

Now it's on to recruiting the Class of 2009, for Hawai'i and most of the other schools serious about an NCAA Championship. Shoji despises the trend.

"I am totally against it, but we have to do this otherwise we're going to get shut out ...," he said. "I would like to wait another year. You don't know what you're getting.

"We're done for 2008 and now we turn our attention to 2009 and they are barely out of their sophomore year. Coaches are pushing 2009 players to commit. It's a vicious cycle. Then, if they sign for 2009 they'll be looking at 2010."

Jim Iams, Yogi's coach at Punahou, came home to Hawai'i after guiding Oregon State and Georgia to eight NCAA Tournaments and helping with the U.S. national program. He saw the trend toward earlier recruiting as he was leaving the college game in the '90s and views it fairly objectively: Coaches wanted commitments and players wanted relief from the pressure of the long process.

Still, "My gut feeling is that it is probably not good," Iams said. "The only reason is that these are young kids and if they are making a decision like this they are that much less mature and more likely to be influenced by things that ultimately won't be that important to them.

TOO MUCH, TOO SOON

"Kids can make decisions that are very whimsical. One kid liked a place because it rained and where they grew up it never rained. One kid didn't like the school colors, didn't think she looked good in red spandex. The younger they are, the more susceptible they are to making decisions that are capricious and not thought out."

Herring, Yogi, Hewitt and Kamehameha's Rebekah Torres, who recently committed to Pacific, sound extremely relieved. All are focusing on their senior year as a time to fine-tune, condition and focus on grades. The best part of the process for all of them was the rush of feeling so wanted. The worst was rejecting coaches they had grown to like — Yogi called it "heart-wrenching" — but there are no regrets ... now.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Still, the Class of 2008 would advise those younger to take all the time they need. The decision could be life-changing. They all spent hours filling out personal profile forms, talking with parents and coaches and, in a few cases, praying.

"I would tell someone to really get to know the coaches," said Yogi, who was hooked on the 'Horns the moment she saw Austin during a club tournament a few years ago. "Don't be afraid to talk to them, ask them straight up what you need to do, what can you offer me, why should I go to your school. It is so important.

"Take the time to know the program, the coaches, the girls. Look around. Unless you are totally sure, don't rush it. If they really want you, they'll wait. You don't want to be at a place that's not right for you."

Shoji believes that is happening much more than before, and cites the rise in transfers as proof. He would not be surprised to see the trend bend again, with coaches going back to concentrating on juniors while they watch major tournaments, and coming out of what he calls "panic mode."

"I think eventually it will stop because the fit has not always been great," Shoji said. "Things change a lot in one or two years. Girls change, their motivation changes. Teams change, teams need a change. Obviously, a few girls are going to be good no matter what happens, but that's not always the case. There's going to be a little backlash.

"You find a lot more transfers because the fit is not good. Some players lose their motivation, lose their desire to get better once they make a commitment."

PARADISE FOUND

It has cut down on one of the prices of recruiting in paradise. Almost every official visit made by a high school senior to Hawai'i now is by a player who will be back. There is rarely room for someone who "might" commit, but really just wants a free trip to Hawai'i.

Hewitt, whose parents lived here for five years before she was born, will see paradise in person the first time in November. The all-state volleyball player is planning her official visit around the Boise State football game (Nov. 23), and jokes she will "root for the team that is winning" at Aloha Stadium.

She has known she wanted to be a Rainbow Wahine from the time her club coach sat the sophomores down and asked what they were looking for in a college. When Hawai'i reciprocated her interest, she was ready to sign — something she still can't do for another four months.

"They have an amazing volleyball program," said Hewitt, whose sister plays for Boise State. "Talking to the coaches, I could tell they knew so much about the game. Those were my main reasons.

"I prayed a lot, talked to the coaches and my parents a long time. I knew if I passed up this opportunity, I'd regret it. I always wanted to play for a great team and you hear about how their caliber is so high and they are such a big part of the community."

They should be. Shoji is now recruiting his third generation.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE

Season tickets are on sale for the 2007 season. They can be purchased online (www.HawaiiAthletics.com), by phone (944-2697) or in person at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Costs range from $70 for UH students in the upper level to $165 for lower-level reserved, which includes a Premium Seat Contribution.

About 3,800 season tickets have been sold so far. Last year, UH sold 4,326 season tickets — two fewer than Wisconsin averaged. The Badgers were second to the Rainbow Wahine in 2006 attendance. Hawai'i averaged 7,186 fans a match.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.