Waialua School Is Riding High Even As Numbers Decline
By Jack Danilewicz
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As she tours Waialua High and Intermediate’s athletic facilities, athletic director Sharon Yoshimura can’t help but be proud of the product. While enrollment is declining - it has about 600 students in grades 7 to 12 - there’s no indication of it in sports, where the Bulldogs have enjoyed their share of resounding successes of late.
Their first-ever appearance in the boys state soccer tournament this week - they captured a first-ever OIA title Jan. 29 - headlines the headlines.
“We’re very proud of all of our teams,“Yoshimura said.Also deserving a spot on the Waialua honor roll are:
* Both the boys and mixed paddling teams, headed for Maui last weekend for the state championships at Hanakao’o Beach Park.
* Swimmers Phillip Bustamante and Momi Green in the state swimming and diving championships this weekend at Central Oahu Regional Park.
* The girls soccer program, which made the state tournament last season and moved up to Division I this winter.
* The JV girls volleyball team, which shared the West regular-season crown with Kapolei in the fall.
* Adam Butac, who qualified for the 2008 Civilian Marksmanship Program Air Riflery State Championships back in October.
* The football program, revived under coach Lincoln Barit and his predecessor Don Capello. It made the post-season in 2006 and develops its talent pool consistently.
Assembling a staff that’s “on the same page” has helped prospects considerably, said Yoshimura, but so have the players.
“It’s the kids themselves,” she explained.“They have heart. Even if we’re down 40 points in basketball, the kids still play like they can win. They never, ever give up.
“And the coaches have been terrific. A lot of our kids call their coaches Auntie or Uncle and the coaches are from the community. We’ve been fortunate.We want their philosophy to be the same as ours, which is education first.We all want to win, but not at all costs.”
While the separation into Division I and II in some sports has leveled the playing field, the Bulldogs still can compete with the bigger OIA schools. The girls soccer team competed in DI this season with larger powers Leilehua, Mililani and Kapolei, and more.
“Ultimately, we all want to play in Division I,” said Yoshimura, a Leilehua graduate and former basketball and volleyball player at BYU-Hawaii. “That’s the goal. We want to play the best.”
With less students, staying on top of grades has become even more of a priority. “We need to keep everyone eligible. Our coaches help tutor, and the teachers are real good about contacting us.”
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