Robert Kekaula



Robert Kekaula (1965-2021)was a prominent Hawaiian sports media legend and broadcaster. He was widely known for calling University of Hawai'i (UH) football games on television and radio for over 25 years, serving as a play-by-play announcer and color analyst. He was one of the voices of Hawai'i sports who really wanted to promote the local teams with love, especially the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, with all his heart. He was always wearing bright aloha shirts to show people that he was going out there on that camera, being big and friendly, while expressing himself in his cool and collected deep voice that made him a good storyteller for sports recaps. He was sort of like the captain of the UH Fandom where he Coached everyone who was watching TV while he was reporting on games on how to support local sports, becoming a local super fan, and how to tell other people about it. 

Aloha for Hawaii Sports: Even though he looked like a big, strong guy, he had some out bursts from time to time as many people do, but it was often overlooked for his really kind and generous heart. He loved helping people and was a great friend to many. He worked incredibly hard to become one of the best at what he did, showing that if you're passionate and dedicated, you can make a name for yourself in a similar way someone who is competing in sports would do. If anyone had an Aloha for Hawaii Sports he was the guy.

Beyond his broadcasting career, Kekaula was living was living a real down to earth lifestyle at Papakōlea Hawaiian Homestead Community. He was really known for checking out all the go-to spots for Hawaii and was one of the passionate foodies searching for a good bite. He was also recognized for his connection to the Hawai'i community with all the interviews, the chatting in line, and just being out and about and being seen. He spent more than two decades as the sports director at KITV and was also a talented musician, actor, and composer, releasing several albums. 

Acting, he is known for being in The Byrds of Paradise (1994), North Shore (2004) and The Fishing Club (2014).

Passing: He was inducted into the UH Sports Circle of Honor in 2021. Robert Kekaula passed away in June 2021 at the age of 56. His legacy continues to be honored, including through the establishment of the Robert Kekaula Memorial Undergraduate Hawaiian Student Scholarship and the Robert Kekaula Fellowship.

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