Mililani High School JV softball coach and PE teacher Glenelle Nitta was declared Coach of the Month by Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in October. The FCA is an organization that tries to bring people together through religion and sports, providing a community for all who wish to join. 

     “I always tell my kids that adversity always makes you stronger, so don’t ever try to run away from it; just run towards it like a race, and do the best you can to adjust and adapt to anything that comes your way,” said Nitta. 

     She never expected to be a coach but had played softball for the majority of her life. When she came back to Hawaii after graduating and began teaching at Mililani, she was asked to help out and has been coaching ever since. She gives back to the community by posting blessed lessons to discuss Bible verses as well as devotionals which give spiritual readings for different days.

     Nitta encourages her players and students to try their best. By doing so, they improve little by little, and eventually they can see how they’ve improved. She takes the time to get to know her players, becoming their friend as well as their mentor. Some of her students talk to her about things going on in their lives even when she is no longer their coach or teacher.

     “She (Nitta) would help me a lot if I ever felt down about myself after practice, after games, you know. She’d always be there and remind you how much potential she sees in you,” said Senior Riana Abeshima, a varsity softball player and a former player of Nitta.

     Nitta found out that she was selected as Coach of the Month when some of her players congratulated her and shared the FCA post on social media. She hadn’t known that many people followed the FCA social media account or viewed the things she did as impactful.

     “I honestly wasn’t surprised, I thought that she deserved it. I mean if the award went to anybody else I’d kinda be surprised,” said Abeshima. 

     Nitta continues to do blessed lessons and devotionals, and she is hopeful for the possibility of an upcoming sports season. For more information about the FCA, visit their website at https://www.fca.org/. For more updates on Mililani High School’s sports, visit the Mililani High School website at https://www.mililanihs.org