Much like how 'Iolani School athletes rally under the school's One Team motto, their parents are doing the same.

From timing the runners, to managing the finisher's chute, to acting as course marshalls, to feeding and hydrating hundreds of runners, an army-sized team of parent volunteers make sure everything runs well at the 'Iolani Invitational — the state's biggest cross country meet with hundreds of high school and intermediate runners from around the state and the Mainland.

The One Team philosophy emphasizes the importance of each individual on the team, and the value of a collective effort. There are about 130 parents helping with the 'Iolani Invitational, which starts Saturday at Kualoa Ranch at 9 a.m.

"I consider the One Team motto to apply to the relationship between the parents and their children," said Caren Esaki, who helps organize the volunteers with Debbie and Milton Higa. "Our parents realize that their assistance and willingness to help the team, helps our runners to succeed."

Volunteers are enlisted at the boys and girls teams' parent meetings after the school year starts, giving Esaki and the Higas about three weeks to develop plans with parents, as well as former runners and parents of former runners. All discussions and details are developed through e-mails and phone calls. Volunteers don't convene until Saturday morning, and then are spread out over the course. Mike Hirai and Les McCarter take care of the timing for the meet and lead a team of 10 volunteers. Lynn Otaguro is in charge of T-shirt sales.

Volunteers are rearranged during the meet so parents are able to watch their children run. There are also a group of parents whose children have graduated from 'Iolani, but continue to volunteer. The group includes Cyrus Tamashiro, Bob Stephenson, Sharon Billingsley, Ron Yasuda, Jan Pappas, Jeff Powers, Karin Swanson, Randy Kurashige, and Todd and Andrea Barnes.

Parent Becky Chun and Paul Shinkawa, whose daughter is a former runner, help organize the meet's massive pasta feed on the night before the race. Teams gather, eat, chat, and the school's halau performs.

"It's a lot of fun, you get to meet and talk to the Mainland teams and they get to experience many of the things they come to recognize as Hawai'i, the hula, lei ... I think it's a lot of fun for them," said junior Justin Higa.

'Iolani runners also helped prepare the Kualoa course last Saturday, cutting grass and branches, moving aside rocks and filling uneven areas with mulch.

"The fact that we worked on it, it means a lot to us, it's special in that way," said junior Borys Pleskacz. "It's pretty neat knowing we're making something we're actually going to run on."

Now in its 11th year, the meet heads back to its roots at Kualoa Ranch after being held at Ford Island and Wheeler Army Air Base the last two years. It's at Kualoa, with its challenging hills and sweeping view of Chinaman's Hat, where the race became known for drawing top Mainland competition.

"With all the good runners, all the Mainland teams, it's really tough competition," said sophomore Kasey Chun. "It's a really hilly course, but it's pretty fun ... it goes by fast."

NOTES

Last year's only local winner, Dakota Grossman, will be back to defend her intermediate division title. She is an eighth grader at Maui's Kalama Intermediate. Older sister, Hailey — a senior at Seabury Hall — will also be competing. Other Neighbor Island teams in the field include Hawai'i Prep and Kamehameha-Hawai'i. Dana Hills (Calif.) is back to defend its girls team title. The Kamehameha boys, and Punahou and Mililani girls have looked strong so far this season.