HUGH FOSTER

Steve Virgen

Hugh Foster was a great high school volleyball player. What led him

to be so great? He had extraordinary skills, but his intimidating

attitude also proved to be very useful.

“When I went up for a kill, I took aim,” said Foster, who played

one season at Newport Harbor High. “It was more about hitting people

in the face with the ball. Whenever I did hit someone, I would look

over at him and smile. I particularly liked to do that.”

Foster never lost a match in his four prep seasons, three at

Punaho High in Hawaii and his senior season at Newport Harbor, when

he led the Sailors to a CIF Southern Section 4-A championship in

1987. Foster was the CIF 4-A Player of the Year.

“He’s the best high school player I have ever seen,” said Dan

Glenn, who was in his first year as head coach when Foster played his

senior season. “I’ve seen Karch [Kiraly] play. I have seen a lot of

players who went on to the Olympics. As far as his size and skill,

[Foster] was very advanced. The bigger the match, the better he was.

He just had another level. I just had to keep him interested.”

Foster, born and raised in Hawaii, went undefeated with Punaho in

his junior season. In Hawaii, at that time, boys volleyball season

was in the fall. He transferred to Newport Harbor and tried to play

in the spring of 1986, but, according to the rules, he had to wait

until the following year.

In 1987, he continued to enjoy his time with the Sailors and the

climax came when they won the CIF championship. Newport Harbor

defeated Mira Costa in a heated and eventful match, 7-15, 15-11,

3-15, 15-6, 15-13.

“I met a lot of great people through volleyball and at Newport

Harbor,” Foster said. “Those were probably the best days of my life.

I remember driving around my Volkswagon bug around there and there

would be other cars like Mercedes. That was just a different place.”

One of the great people he met, Brynn Jolliffe, became his wife.

The two were married last year and Glenn attended the wedding.

Foster, 34, still plays volleyball, but mostly for fun.

“I am definitely not as quick as I used to be,” Foster said.

A few years ago, Foster decided to move back home to care for his

father, who was battling cancer and eventually survived it. Foster’s

father now lives in Cabo San Lucas. Foster stayed in Hawaii, where he

manages a business which rents fishing boats and other vacation

rentals.

Every so often, Foster will take in a volleyball match.

“Volleyball is really big over here,” he said. “I like going to a

match where nobody knows about me. I enjoy watching volleyball on TV,

too. But sometimes I start screaming at the screen.”

Foster, the latest honoree of the Daily Pilot Hall of Fame, said

he remains thankful for meeting and becoming friends with Glenn and

his teammates while at Newport. That is among the highlights he

valued.

“Being CIF Player of the Year in my senior year was special to

me,” Foster said. “There were a lot of players who deserved it. I

truly felt that it was a team thing.

“Danny is the best coach I ever had,” he continued. “He taught me

a lot about keeping my cool. He taught me a lot.”