Editor’s note: This article has been previously published in the Hawaii United Okinawa Association Uchinanchu newsletter. It has been republished here with permission.

Thirty-year-old Isaiah Chinen is a Yonsei Uchinanchu, born and raised in Kailua-Kona on Hawaiʻi Island. He is the middle son of Paul and Doreen Chinen’s five children: Landon, Summer, Isaiah, Star, and Breeze. His family are member of Aza Gushikawa. 

This past July Isaiah co-captained Team USA at the 2024 Touch Rugby World Cup in Nottingham, England. Team USA finished 13 out of 26 countries – the highest the USA has done in that division. I interviewed him about his rugby journey.  

Jodie Ching (JC): Where did you grow up and where did you attend school?

Isaiah Chinen (IC): I grew up in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi, but spent half my childhood traveling the world as my parents were missionaries. We traveled the South Pacific when I was younger and then my parents really had a heart for Southeast Asia which grew to going to Egypt and Mexico. I went to Konawaena High School in South Kona and was fortunate enough to attend Menlo College and Arizona State University. 

JC: Where do you work?

IC: I am currently employed as a carpenter for a local Seattle business called JHC Construction and recently have gotten into Eastside Fire and Rescue as an entry level firefighter.

JC: How long have you been playing touch rugby and how did you get started?

IC: I played contact rugby since I was a kid and started playing touch rugby in 2021. Coming out of the pandemic I was looking for ways to stay fit and still engage in a game I loved. Simon Low was the president of Seattle Touch Rugby and encouraged me to come out to a few training sessions and play in a tournament. The rest is history, I immediately fell in love with the game!

JC: Why do you like playing rugby?

IC: I believe rugby is one of the most inclusive, competitive sports that grows a community of individuals who become a family. Touch rugby is the only sport I am aware of that has men and women competing on the same team at the highest levels of competition. To me, rugby is active chess, constantly trying to outwit your opponent while putting your body under constant pressure, being able to see who will give up first or make an error. The best part, it allows you to create life lasting friendships around the world.

JC: Briefly describe “the road to the World Cup.”

IC: I was invited to a USA selection camp after the USA Club Nationals where I played for Seattle. At the camp, 44 of the top male players reported to the Olympic training center in Chula Vista, California. I was fortunate enough to have amazing teammates and mentors who helped me be confident and grow as an individual to be selected to represent the USA in the Mixed Open Division. From there, we would have zoom calls as a team, numerous camps across the country, travel to New Zealand to compete in their National Championship in preparation, then fly into England a week early to train as a team.

JC: You are a co-captain!! How were you selected for THAT?

IC: It was a massive honor and a surprise to be named co-captain. We had an amazing group of individuals who I am fortunate to call my friends and family. I’m not quite sure how the selection process or criteria was done by our coach, but he expressed he thought I could help steward this team in a direction he felt was needed. It was a huge honor! Only by the grace of God would I have been able to take on the responsibility that comes with co-leading a team. My co-captain Jess Rollason and I approached things from very different perspectives which allowed us to lean into one another and foster an environment that challenged us to strive for the best and enjoy the journey we get to partake in. 

JC: How is touch rugby different from traditional rugby? Tell us about its growing popularity.

IC: The biggest difference between the codes of rugby is in the name. Touch rugby there are no tackles, the defense just retreats seven meters to be on side before they can advance again. The game of touch is a little shorter (40-minute games versus 80-minute games) but a lot more sprinting and back peddling.  I believe the game of touch is growing because it can be more accessible for kids who are a bit younger before they transition to contact rugby or for players who retired from contact rugby and are still wanting to be involved in the beautiful game of rugby. I believe touch rugby’s biggest draw is the inclusivity, everyone can play the game of touch. To my knowledge it is the only sport that has a division where men and women play on the same team on the same field at the highest level. The amazing women I have been blessed to call teammates are incredible athletes, and as a spectator, you get to witness the athleticism on display constantly at a rapid pace.  

Message from Isaiah’s father, Paul Chinen:

I’m really proud of and blessed to have a son like you Isaiah. I know your great grandparents and grandparents are smiling down from heaven and raving to everyone there that you’re their grandson. [Their] dream was to build a better life when they left Okinawa and labored in the fields and endured many hardships. Your grandparents served diligently in World War II and persevered through hardships but became successful to provide a better life for their children.

I am so proud of you son. You continue to give praise and honor to teammates, coaches, mentors, friends, family and Jesus. 

Message from Isaiah’s mother, Doreen Chinen:

I’ve always been Isaiah’s number one cheerleader since he was little, but I know his dad and siblings are just as supportive and proud of him. He was always fun to watch with his intensity and dedication to whatever sport he played. Isaiah was always a leader not because he was given the title but a natural leader by example on and off the field. He’s always helping others to be the best version of themselves. I remember after finishing his laps, he would run back with the last runner, encouraging those boys to finish. I’m most proud of Isaiah because he holds the value of family at its highest! He always has time to check in with his family (he lives far away). He also deeply respects his grandparents who paved the way, knowing they have shaped Isaiah’s character and values.