Players Step Into Ref’s Shoes At Volleyball Tourney

Del.icio.us

Prep volleyball players who are quick to point the finger at referees could probably benefit from participating in the Longy Okamoto Classic.

For the past four years, matches in the popular pre-season tournament have been officiated by the players themselves.

“It helps them to realize how hard it is to officiate - with all they have to deal with between coaches and players,” said tournament director Erin Okamoto Coker, who is also the Aiea boys’ varsity volleyball coach.

Players refereeing their own games is one of the images that makes the Longy Okamoto Classic one of the highlights of prep volleyball’s pre-season. The tournament is named for the late Longy Okamoto, a long-time McKinley coach, who started the event in the ‘70s (as the McKinley Pre-Season Tournament) because there were few pre-season tournaments around. When he passed on in 1995, the tournament was renamed in his honor and his daughter, Okamoto Coker, assumed the duties of tournament director.

“Most of the players don’t know my dad, but their coaches either played for him or against him, so we put his picture on the front of the shirts,” Okamoto Coker said.

Dates for the tournament were announced recently. The girls’ tournament will take place from Aug. 22-25 with the boys division to be moved to March in light of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association’s recent decision to move the boys prep volleyball season in Hawaii to the spring. In past years, the boys’ and girls’ tournaments were always run at the same time.

Next month’s girls’ tournament will take place at both Aiea and Pearl City. The first two days will consist of pool play, with teams separated by Divisions over the last two days of competition. The girls’ tournament has attracted as many as 30 teams some years and has served as a good springboard for many heading into the ensuing regular season.

“Pre-season is about seeing how well your team works together,” said Okamoto Coker.

“The main thing is the playing time the kids get and the coaches can see what they have. In pre-season, the pressure’s off. There isn’t that feeling of having to win. The kids play more at ease, and coaches can see what the kids need to work on.”

The tournament is still seeking teams.

“We’ll accept teams all the way up until the end,” Okamoto Coker said.

“One thing about my dad is that he always took everybody. That’s why we always ended up with so many teams.”

Cost for the tournament is $125 with each team guaranteed of playing no less than eight games over the four days. Interested teams can contact Okamoto-Coker at 393-5079 or 564-8125.