Two big losses for ILH in one day
June 28th, 2008 by WesGuys like Delbert Tengan and Bill Villa are very hard to find, which is why I think the ILH suffered two big losses on Friday.
It reminds me of that dark day back in September 1993, when Bobby McGee’s shut down and Michael Jordan retired (the first time), both abruptly and without advance notice. Double whammy.
First, Chaminade announced the hiring of Villa as Silverswords athletic director. This is good news for Chaminade, because they are getting a good, humble man who always seems to be in control of any situation. He’s not afraid to speak up, but does so with calm reason.
Here’s all you really need to know about what it’s like to be the AD at Mid-Pacific: Punahou has four people at the top of it athletic department, Kamehameha three, ‘Iolani two. MPI has one. And it’s not like MPI is a tiny school. It has boys and girls teams, about 80 of them, at varsity, JV and intermediate levels.
They have a gym, pool, football field, baseball field and softball field to manage and maintain.
And Villa made it all look easy, although it most certainly wasn’t.
I think he is more than qualified and prepared to make the “jump” to Chaminade AD.
Shortly after the Silverswords’ announced their hire, Saint Louis announced Tengan had resigned as football and basketball coach.
Rumors had been swirling for the past couple weeks about Tengan being replaced by Ulima Afoa for the football job, but not as much talk had been generated about the basketball position.
Tengan said he had the option of staying on at both positions, but obviously something did not feel right about staying on, and it probably is no coincidence that his decision comes on the heels of recent events. He applied and was a finalist for the Saint Louis AD job, which went to longtime college and Kamehameha-Hawai‘i football coach Afoa.
Publicly, we may never learn exactly what transpired behind closed doors, but what happened, happened.
It’s time to move on.
Which brings us back to two big losses. No matter what some people think of Tengan, the man served Saint Louis’ athletic department for roughly 25 years. As a trainer, assistant coach, defensive coordinator and finally, head coach, for both football and basketball.
And at one of the most high-profile schools in Hawai‘i, if not the West Coast.
All you need to know about the standards and expectations at Saint Louis are this: Tengan was 48-11 in five football seasons, with one state championship and three ILH titles.
Most coaches in Hawai‘i would love to have that kind of resume, but there are those in Crusader Nation who believe that record just doesn’t cut it.
Tough crowd, indeed.
But Cal Lee, who knows something about Saint Louis, said Tengan’s departure leaves “big shoes to fill.”
I think the same could be said for the ILH in general, with the loss of Tengan and Villa on the same day. ‘Iolani boys basketball coach Mark Mugiishi called Tengan “one of the statesmen of the ILH,” and I think the same could be said for Villa.
While it’s a big loss for Saint Louis, MPI and ILH, in a way I am also happy for both men that they can start fresh with a new chapter in their lives, as Tengan said.
Knowing both of them, they will continue to contribute to Hawai‘i for many years to come.
June 28th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Who are the four people at the top of the Punahou Athletic Department? Tom Holden is the Head AD. Kale Ane & Jeff Meister are the Associate AD’s. Who is the fourth person? Did they hire someone else?
June 28th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Scott Metcalf is Facilities Coordinator.
June 28th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Let’s call it like it is Wes. Its not a tough crowd, its a stupid crowd. “Wah Wah my son doesn’t play enough.” These parents need to stop crying and get a life. Your son goes to one of the best football schools in the country and couldnt cut it and life goes on. Just cause you are a loser doesn’t mean your kid is for not getting playing time, and certainly doesnt make the coach wrong for playing other kids. There’s more to life than high school football…get a life.
People that are walking around happy and proud this weekend for forcing a great coach and great man out of a job he loved must have problems in their own lives. I wonder what they will do with all their free time now that they don’t have to sit around and talk stink like a bunch of 13-year old wahine.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I think Alan Lum would be a good candidate for the job at St. Louis. I heard he will apply for the position. He was a varsity coach at Punahou, won a state title which many coaches have never done, and won a coach of the year award. He currently assists the girls teams. But it is well known that he would be very interested in this position. He would be a great hire. I was a player under coach Lum when we won the state title in 1999.
June 28th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
DA805BOI - You said like it is. Wah wah parent club (WWPC) is prevalent all over hawaii and high school sports. At least maybe Tengan can be happy now, free to live life without those who suck everything out of whats good and real in high school sports and the passion and drive for excellence
it will be the same situation for new coach they hire whether they win or lose; WWPC make their sons victums, incapable of competiting for a job and the root for the stay at home son who’s destroying team chemistry for the ME generation and entitlement generation of athletes produced today. State championships will not be enough for the WWPC, they demand their son to be the media darling, family name in lights and spew venum when not credited for the success and lets not forget what you said before, “wah wah my son isnt playing or cant cut it so lets run out the coach, he must be the problem. That will be the same reason for the next coach to be run out, wah wah my son is still not playing must be the coach, it cant be my son he is the greatest, fire the coach”.
NO coach means no direction or practice for the team and no state championship. NO coach quits one month before the season without being asked to leave, nice to give the OIA another football state championship again next year.
June 29th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Would Lum be willing to coach a rival school? Darryl Gabriel was, but Lum is another question. Perhaps Gabriel can emerge as a candidate since he coached SL before. Another candidate would be Micah Kroeger. It makes me wonder what would’ve happened if Punahou got stuck with him instead of Hale.
June 29th, 2008 at 1:40 am
It would be strange, if not unprecedented, for Al to teach at Punahou and coach at Saint Louis, if that’s what you mean.
As far as Lum’s coaching abilities, I can attest to that because I played for him myself, back when he was still a (grad?) student at UH. Even back then, he was real knowledgeable and was a great motivator, knew what buttons to push.
Mahalo for reading.
June 29th, 2008 at 3:24 am
I’d like to bid a fond farewell to Delbert but I know Ill be seeing him on campus for years to come. Thank you for all your help not only with the athletes at Saint Louis, but for giving my son the opportunity to develop as a player and more importantly as an individual. He is a better person because of you Coach!
June 29th, 2008 at 6:32 am
He would be willing to coach at a rival school I heard. I think he just wants to coach basketball. Coach Lum wants to help kids. Since Hale is the coach at Punahou, he probably needs to coach elsewhere. I feel Lum would be a good fit at St. Louis. Did anyone notice that the girl’s program got a lot more successful since Coach Lum started to assist Taylor? If you noticed, the two years that Lum did not assist (2002 & 2004) Punahou did not win a state title. In 2003; 2005; 2006; 2008, Lum was an assistant and they won. His only year he assisted Taylor and they did not win was 2007, but they got very close. I do not think this is a coincidence. The man can coach basketball. I should know, he led us to a state title in 1999.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:19 am
no matter who succeeds tengan, they can never match cal lee’s legacy ~ arguably the greatest local high school coach of any sport…i think the crusaders need a reality check because it would be very unlikely that the glory years under cal lee will return, regardless of the AD or coach…
June 29th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Da805boi,
everyone has their perception, and it is obvious you do not have all of the facts pertaining to this situation.
thanks to coach tengan for your efforts, let’s not regress, and let’s move one.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:40 am
PunBballer and Wes–I’d agree with your assessments of Alan Lum’s gifts as a coach. I’m not sure a Punahou teacher coaching at St Louis quite fits, but he would be a good choice for St Louis.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Did someone die? From the way Wes wrote his commentary, one might think somebody died. Rather than lamenting the exit of Tengan, why not celebrate the dawning of a new age at Kalaepohaku. For the first time in almost 30 years, an alum who knows a little something about playing and coaching football has returned to lead the program.
The next head coach should also be an alum. With all the stellar athletes St Louis has produced in football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling, why should it look outside of its own family for a new coach? Same should be the case with its basketball program. Why take a Lum when you can take an alum?
Good job Judge Kirimitsu! Let’s get the alums more involved.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I think Lum would be a great hire. I went to a camp that he was a part of in 02 or 03 and it was good. Plus working at Punahou must not be easy so working at St Louis should be the same in many ways. St Louis always have some talent. So if he gets hired, he should do well.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
“Why take Lum when you can take an alum?” Well Lum has a proven track record, has experience in the ILH, three of the head coaches in the ILH (Hale/Punahou; Doc/Iolani; Mello/Maryknoll) have all at one time been his assistant so it’s clear he knows his stuff. Plus he won a state title. Can you name a St. Louis alum who has won a state basketball title and is still alive or would want to coach?
So in conclusion, I am all for alumni if they have the resume and can get the results. The last time we had a Punahou guy, Coach Gabriel put St. Louis on the map. They were not good in basketball before that since 85 or 86.
Lum is the best candidate out there. If you want an alumni, please name one with a better resume, cuz I can’t think of any.