Participating student athletes in the Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance Early National Letter of Intent ceremony pose for a group picture. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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WAIKIKI — Over the years James Millwood has witnessed first hand the dedication and sacrifice put forth by his daughters in the sport of softball.

Wednesday morning was a celebration of that hard work for one of his four offspring.

Jordan Millwood, a senior second baseman on the Kamehameha softball team, was one of 44 student-athletes who signed their National Letters of Intent at the Waikiki Elks Club Lodge hosted by the Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance.

High school seniors representing 12 different schools in golf, cross country, track and field, volleyball, baseball, softball, water polo and swimming put pen to paper on the first day of the early signing period.

Jordan Millwood was one of three attendees to sign with the University of Hawaii at Hilo softball program Wednesday morning, joining Mililani's Kristen Ishii and Moanalua's Brinell "Makamae" Kaleikini.

"Today is a very special day," she said. "It's not only my dream, but it's also the dreams of my dad and my mom and it's very special for all of us."

James Millwood, who led the Warriors to an Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship and a third-place finish at last Spring's Division I state tournament, has coached Jordan as well as his other three daughters — Jamie, Taylor and Dallas — since they picked up the sport with the Guava Jam club team.

"Seeing the joy and her smile and knowing that all the hard work that Jordan has put in to get where she's at makes it all worthwhile and her being able to be out here with her peers and celebrate a day like this is great," the elder Millwood said.

It wasn't that long ago — six years, to be exact — that Jamie, the oldest of the Millwood girls signed with Stanford at a PIAA-hosted event.

"When my sister started playing softball and I got into softball and I saw her signing I knew that that's what I wanted to do when I grew up," said Jordan, who plans to pursue a career in pharmacology. "I wanted to follow in her footsteps."

Jordan Millwood was just one of five Kamehameha softball players to put their future in writing Wednesday. Also signing were Kalei Kaneshiro (Southern Illinois-Edwardsville), Kylie Sanchez (Southern Nazarene), Mahina Sauer (Southern Nazarene) and Lia Tom (Cal State Stanislaus).

"It's a tribute to all of them and their hard work," James Millwood said. "It's all about them getting to college, having someone help pay to go to college and getting that degree. It was great seeing their big smiles when they got their names called. It was a great day."

Another family that had reason to celebrate Wednesday morning were the Choys. Bailey Choy, an Iolani School senior, signed to play volleyball at the University of Utah next year after helping the Raiders to their first ILH title since 2001 and state runner-up finish this Fall.

"It's an amazing feeling," said Choy, who was named to the All-Tournament Team at last month's HHSAA Division I State Championships. "Just the fact that both my parents and my brother have helped me so much along the way and to get to this point is just a wonderful feeling to have."

Choy's father, Barney, relished the opportunity to witness her signing her NLI after missing most of her matches this season while in his first year as head coach of his alma mater, Farrington.

"We didn't get to to see each other much this year but we talk a lot at home, discussing each other's experiences, but this is amazing. I'm very proud of her," Barney said.

Barney and his wife, Terri, were all smiles after the ceremony.

"My wife and I, all we can wish for is to see your kids grow up and to give them the opportunity to grow in life and this is one of the major steps for Bailey today," said Barney, who led the Governors to their first Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II crown since 2012 and a third-place finish in the state tournament.

Bailey said despite the difficulties this year, she always kept tabs on her dad's team.

"I actually got to see a couple of his games, but just the fact that he's doing such a great job and I can't watch it's disheartening at times, but I'm proud of him, too," Bailey said.

Making sacrifices is something that Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker knows all about. The Kamehameha-Hawaii senior logged some serious frequent flier miles while commuting between the Big Island and Oahu, where her club volleyball team, Spike and Serve, is based.

"There was a lot of sacrifices that I had to make, but I knew in the end it would be worth it," said Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, who signed with Cal State Northridge. "I actually have a four-year old sister back home that I rarely get to spend time with because I'm constantly up here during club season, training up here, coming up every weekend and then my parents fly (to Oahu) during the week for work so I don't see them when I'm home and then they're home on the weekends but I'm gone, so it was hard, but we all know it was worth it in the end."

Makekau-Whittaker, a 6-foot opposite/setter, helped the Warriors to a 13-7 overall record, a second-place finish in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation and an appearance in the Division I state tournament.

"It's feels great considering this has been a goal of mine — to attend a D1 school — since maybe the first grade when the teacher asked us what we want to do in the future," Makekau-Whittaker said. "I'm just really excited to play for a really good school."

Former Mililani and Florida State standout softball player Courtney Senas and Dr. Lisa Uperesa, an assistant professor in the University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Social Sciences, were the keynote speakers.