GROWING UP at the Outrigger Canoe Club, Lindsey Berg was peppering with volleyball legends before she fully understood just how rare that was. “Outrigger was such a big part of my childhood. I was up on those courts probably before I was born,” she laughs. Her father, Dennis, a longtime OCC member, coached and played volleyball at the Club. Surrounded by high-level athletes and families deeply rooted in the game, Berg grew up in a world of pick-up matches and a culture of athletic excellence. “I was fortunate to have that,” she says. “Outrigger Canoe Club has been the foundation my volleyball career.” That foundation carried her all the way to the world stage—and this year, to the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame, where she was honored with the All-Time Great Athlete Award in recognition of her extraordinary career. A three-time U.S. Olympian, Berg joined the Women’s National Team in 2003 and quickly earned a reputation as one of the world’s top setters. She was named Best Setter at the Pan American Cup for three consecutive years (2003–2005), and again at the NORCECA Continental Championship in 2005 and 2011. As co-captain in 2008 and captain in 2012, she helped lead Team USA to back-to-back Olympic silver medals. Her leadership and skill earned her USA Volleyball’s Indoor Female Athlete of the Year award twice, in 2008 and 2011. Though she didn’t fit the mold of a typical
so
o f
Member Mark Cunningham’s aloha spirit shines both in and out of the water, a true steward of Hawai‘i’s shorelines through his 30-year lifeguarding career.
anyone even noticed what I was trying to quietly do was kind of astounding.” Humble yet relentlessly driven, Easton is an analytical athlete who’s always looking for ways to improve. And while her approach may have been quiet, her accomplishments speak volumes. From dominating masters swim meets to claiming top honors in ocean races, Easton has built a legacy of excellence in the water. She’s a national masters champion, a former state record holder, and a consistent podium finisher in the Double Roughwater. She’s also a multiple-time overall female champion in the North Shore Swim Series, North Shore 5K, and Kailua Popoi‘a Swim. Her first-place
All-American, Berg carved out her place at the top through sheer determination. Her advice to young athletes reflects the lessons she’s lived: “You can’t listen to what other people are saying,” she explains. “If you’re really passionate about something, you gotta go for it and believe in yourself—that’s the most important thing. And if you get that shot, you give it your all.” This year, Outrigger athletes were recognized not only for excellence on the court, but also in the water. Members Mark Cunningham and Sandie Easton will be inducted into the Hawai‘i Swimming Hall of Fame in October 2025—each honored for a lifetime of dedication to their craft. For Cunningham, that love began as a self-proclaimed water rat, spending his teenage summers bodysurfing at Sandy Beach. For Easton, she was just eight years old when she started following her older brother to swim practice—begging to join in. “So of course, little sister wants to get in and be involved in that,” Easton laughs, recalling her early days in the water. “To think that
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software