University of Hawaii student, author of this blog, Sherman Kho was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. His ethnicities are Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, but his household surrounded him with dominantly Filipino Culture. Sherman grew up in various places on the island such as Kalihi, Waipahu, and Waikiki; he mostly spent his life growing up in Ewa Beach. Ewa Beach is a small town on the southwest coast of the island. Sherman spent his childhood there, the hottest part of the island.
Sherman enjoyed watching sporting events with men in his family. Being Filipino meant him being surrounded with sport culture, especially the Filipino phenom Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao. Pacquiao was a boxer who came from the Philippines and became one of the best fighters who ever fought in the ring. He displayed a whole new level of speed, agility, and power. He brought pride to the Filipino-American community. It also meant watching basketball and football.
Kho surrounded himself with sports whether he watched it or played it. He was never the idea athlete but he still enjoyed playing because of his love for the game. The sense of competitiveness and the need of communication and chemistry between teammates brought him closer to sports. He enjoys watching various sports but basketball has always been his favorite to watch.
Michael Jordan dominated the world of basketball in the 1990s but in the early 2000s Kobe Bryant dominated the sport. He came into the league straight out of high school and made his name known to everyone who watched basketball. He brought a form of finesse and style into his game. He knew his talent; his team knew his talent; the league knew his talent. Bryant showed his ability to be an offensive phenom every game, whether that be showing his accuracy and clutch by making a game changing shot or his explosiveness with mind blowing dunks. Kho quickly became a fan of the sport by seeing the way Kobe Bryant ran the floor. Kho would watch everyone who made an impact for their team: Kobe Bryant with his offensive instinct, Steve Nash with his ability to be a floor general due to his court vision, Ray Allen with his incredible long range shooting, and LeBron James, the prodigy who made a name for himself in high school and is now to be considered the best player in the league. Sherman saw players for their individual talents and saw how every member of a team contributed towards a win or loss.
Today, some people argue against the idea of professional sports and are questioning the actual value of these players and the sports they play. He wants to show how sports impacted him and others to do better and to be their own examples of excellence. Sherman Kho wants to share his view of the athletic community and why these athletes have a huge influence on the lives of today’s culture and the future of youth.
Sherman Kho- More than a Sport 