Grassroot support growing to save UHH cross country program

Some members of the UHH women’s cross country team

“It is a sad day when UH Hilo cuts the only sport that has a connection to traditional Hawaiian culture (makahiki),” Kamehameha chemistry teacher Joel Truesdell said.

Truesdell is referring to the latest announcement from the Vulcan athletic department to cut both the men’s and women’s cross country programs in order to meet the projected 10 percent budget deficit.

“It shows a lack of sensitivity or awareness to the cultural basis of sport in our Hawaiian community,” Truesdell said.  “All we are left with are imported games.”

Along with being a teacher at the Kamehameha-Keaau campus Truesdell is also the head women’s cross country coach for the Warriors and an advocate for distance running.

The UHH cross country program is a non revenue generating sport and, like most business decisions, found itself at the bottom of the priority list and at the top of the chopping block of UHH Athletic Director Dexter Irvine.

“Our kids are devastated,” UHH cross country coach Jaime Guerpo said.  “I broke the news to them a few days ago and since that time we’ve been looking at ways to try to come up with the $100,000 needed each year to keep us going.”

Guerpo has been coaching the cross country program at UHH since 1999 and has taken a budget cut ever year.

“I feel it’s my duty to keep the program going,” Guerpo said.  “I understand that the administration had to make the cuts to keep the athletic program going and we’ve always made do with what we got and have produced a very successful program.”

Guerpo is even willing to coach the team without compensation if it would help salvage the program.

“I’d give up my pay in a heartbeat if that is what it would take to keep this program going,” he said.  “We’re looking at all sorts of ways to help keep cross country alive at UHH.”

Over the years Guerpo had heavily recruited local athletes from around the state to run on his men’s and women’s teams.

Currently Christian Liberty’s Justin Pang, Keoni and Nick Ucker, Keaau’s Nick Hagemann and Liliana DeSmither, Kau’s Kapua Lapera, Waiakea’s James Imai, and Hilo’s Stefano Barbis are members of the team.

Several of the current and former UHH cross country runners were winners of the Big Island Road Runners scholarship.

“We were all in shock when Coach Jaime broke the news to us a few days ago,” Imai said.  “We’re still hoping we can find a way to keep the programs alive.”

The BIRR, along with the Big Island International Marathon, Honolulu Marathon, and Big Island Running Company have all been contacted to lend their support towards helping to keep running alive at UHH.

These UHH runners have also been highly visible in the community, often found at the finish lines of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation cross country and track and field finish lines as they help give back to the sport in which they love dearly.

Guerpo and his runners have also been strong support/volunteers at Hawai’i Island Special Olympics and numerous County Parks and Recreation track and field meets as they serve as strong role models for our community.

“We also help out with the Big Island Marathon each year by setting up hundreds of cones and barricades along the 26.2 mile course at 3:00 a.m. and then collecting and returning them when the event is over,” Guerpo said.

“The UHH cross country team are not self-promoters, but are contributors in ways that are not always recognized in public forums,” Faith Nance, the cross country representative on the Vulcan Athletic Club said.

“Many of the talented high school runners who choose to remain at home have the opportunity to continue to participate in a sport that can become a lifelong avocation and a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle,” Nance said.

Dozens of emails poured into the Big Dog’s mail box in support of looking at ways of keeping the cross country program alive at UH Hilo.

 “At least UH Manoa gets it,” Truesdell said.  “They have a full complement of the sports that are traditionally based such as cross country, track and field, swimming and sailing.”  

The UHH athletic department made their decision to cut cross country without getting community input which has many local residents upset because they feel they are stake holders in higher education.

“It seems to me that UH Hilo should reach out to the community before making this decision,” Truesdell said.  “The people here will take care of their own if given the opportunity or challenge.”

Guerpo continues to look over a variety of scenarios to see if something can be salvaged.

Vulcan runners support many local community races

“If we have to give something up then I’d like to see the women’s team saved as this would at least come into Title 9 compliance of gender equity, “Guerpo said.

 If the UHH decision makers were to come to BIIF cross country meet they would see the connections.  Keeping a sport like this will maintain and strengthen ties to the community that are priceless.

“A University’s cross country program provides a valuable benefit not only to the team members, but also to the entire university and surrounding community by inspiring everyone to get more active,” Jason Braswell, owner of the Big Island Running Company said.

“Collegiate cross country is particularly inspirational to middle school and high school students who get to see where their running can lead them,” Braswell said.

With the continued growth of the Big Island International Marathon and BIIF cross county programs the continuation of a university running team would be responding to the interest of a growing segment of our community.

We all hope that Athletic Director Dexter Irvin will reconsider his decision to cut an important sports program and instead become part of the solution in promoting something that has deep seeded roots in our culturally based community.

If anyone in the community would like to help save the UHH cross country program please contact the Big Dog at waiakeabigdog@aol.com or call 969-7400.

Related link:  http://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/uhh-athletics-suspends-cross-country-cheerleading-press-release/

UHH to cut Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Programs

 UHH to eliminate men’s & women’s cross country:  Inside sources have leaked that the athletic department, under Dexter Irvin, is looking to make 10 percent budget cuts in the 2011 – 2012 season.Irvin and his staff have decided to eliminate, or suspend for two years, the men’s and women’s cross country program.Getting rid of cross country would save the Vulcan athletic department approximately $100,000 per year which would fit into the goal of reducing cost by 10 percent.Cross country is a non revenue producing sport and the UHH athletic department is looking at ways of increasing revenue.Many of our local runners have gone onto run at the collegiate level at UHH under Coach Jaime Guerpo who has recruited heavily within the state.

Keoni and Nick Ucker, along with Justin Pang formerly of Christian Liberty Academy; James Imai from Waiakea, Nick and Nina Hagemann of Keaau, Stefano Barbis and Milia Williams from Hilo, are just a few of the many talented local runners that Guerpo had recruited in recent years.

The athletic department is more concerned with high profile sports that can generate revenue as sports such as cross country, golf and tennis may be on its way out.

Coach Guerpo hasn’t given up and will be presenting a variety of options to the UHH athletic department.  If you’d like to help you can write letters to the UHH athletic department and address it to Mr. Dexter Irvine.

I hope the program can somehow be salvaged. 

Billy “The Ghost” Barnett wins Waikaumalo 7 mile challenge

 Big Island Road Runners
Waikaumalo 7 Mile Challenge
February 27, 2011 @ 7:30 am
Waikaumalo Park, Ninole, Hawaii

Billy “The Ghost” Barnett prepares for start of 7-mile challenge

Pictured on far right wearing red shorts, Barnett is undefeated in 2011 races

7	Mile Run				Pace
Plc	Name	Division		Time	(min/mi)
1	Billy Barnett	<<< Overall >>>		40:39	5:48
2	Keoni Ucker	Open		43:01	6:09
3	Chris Mosch	Open		44:03	6:18
4	Justin Pang	Open		45:08	6:27
5	Isaiah Sato	Open		45:54	6:33
6	Paul Mauser	Open		46:33	6:39
7	Nick Hagemann	Open		47:11	6:44
8	Nick Muragin	++ Master ++		47:38	6:48
9	Lyman Perry	Master		48:12	6:53
10	Keith Marrack	Master		49:24	7:03
11	Steve Pavao	Master		52:46	7:32
12	Robyn DeBenedet	<<< Overall >>>	F	52:56	7:34
13	James Imai	Open		53:08	7:35
14	Derek Dominguez	Open		53:10	7:36
15	Kirsta Andrew	Open	F	53:35	7:39
16	DJ Blinn	Master		54:56	7:51
17	Lory Hunter	++ Master ++	F	55:56	7:59
18	Rob Van Geen	Master		57:21	8:12
19	Ray Ibarra	Master		57:26	8:12
20	Maka’ala Cruz	Open		58:21	8:20
21	Melissa Braswell	Open	F	59:14	8:28
22	Nina Hagemann	Open	F	1:00:18	8:37
23	Barbie Nakamura	Master	F	1:01:24	8:46
24	Emily Kingery	Open	F	1:02:16	8:54
25	Harris Kaneshiro	Master		1:02:30	8:56
26	Donna Wong-Yuen	Master	F	1:04:00	9:09
27	Charlie Bostwick	Master		1:06:24	9:29
28	Andrea Hess	Master	F	1:07:15	9:36
29	Marti Banks	Master	F	1:07:38	9:40
30	David Hammes	Master		1:07:41	9:40
31	Kim Furumo	Master	F	1:08:48	9:50
32	Lindsay Englund	Open	F	1:09:02	9:52
33	Tiffany Lindsey	Open	F	1:09:24	9:55
34	Richard Grothmann	Master		1:09:48	9:58
35	Daria Cunningham	Master	F	1:11:15	10:11
36	Morgen Bahurinsky	Master	F	1:14:51	10:42
37	Betty Ben	Master	F	1:15:46	10:49
38	Kimi Jackson	Master	F	1:15:47	10:50
39	Lee Collins	Master	F	1:19:56	11:25
40	Bob Scales	Open		1:21:15	11:36
41	Rick Otani	Master		1:26:03	12:18
42	Claire Shigeoka	Master	F	1:34:06	13:27
43	Marie Kuramoto	Master	F	1:34:06	13:27
4	Mile Run				Pace
Plc	Name	Division		Time	(min/mi)
1	Stephen Hunter	Open		28:30	7:07
2	Carmen Garson-Shumway	Open	F	30:27	7:37
3	Timon Skinner	Open		34:00	8:30
4	Aleksandra Beloborodova	Open	F	37:08	9:17
5	Dawn Patterson	Open	F	37:28	9:22
6	Leslie Terada	Open		38:03	9:31
7	Bobby Nakamura	Master		40:00	10:00
8	Keleala DeCosta	Open	F	40:51	10:13
9	Cherie Berg	Open	F	41:09	10:17
10	Norman Skinner	Master		44:30	11:07
11	Dixie Newman	Open	F	48:48	12:12
12	Richard Alderson	Master		49:24	12:21
13	Rihei Grothmann	Open		52:43	13:11
14	Jordan Hirae	Open		52:43	13:11
15	Sharon Ibarra	Master	F	1:01:15	15:19

Big Dog’s Lovers 5K sets participant record of 302 – Official Results

Record numbers participated in Lover's 5K

Big Dog Productions hosted the Lover’s 5K today, Feb 6, 2011 and set a sign in registration record of 302 with 287 crossing the finish line.

The event raised 488 pounds of food for the Food Pantry in Hawaiian Paradise Park and cash for the Hawaii Island Food Bank.

Following are the results for today’s run/walk.

Kudos to the sponsors and all the volunteers that made the event an enormous success.

More photos and information will be posted on this site later. 

Read 1st column – then second column to get the order of finish.

Zach	Johnson	17:57		Kaala	Ahu	37:49:00
Tyde	Kaneshiro	18:04		Marla	Hank	37:56:00
Justin	Pang	18:07		Jason	Ferreira	38:04:00
Isaiha	Sato	18:23		Sarah	Ferreira	39:06:00
Jackson	Halford	18:59		Stephanie	Nipper	39:13:00
Paul	Mauser	19:02		Keoki	Ka’ai	39:24:00
Louis	Perry	19:09		Wally	Ogata	39:26:00
Troy	Robinson	19:41		Gloria	Wong	39:48:00
Wayne	Pavao	19:46		Calvin	Pitoy	40:00:00
Alex	Vu	19:46		Pua	Brown	40:42:00
James	Imai	20:49		Wendy	Ahu	41:08:00
Johan	Kuypers	20:50		Chesha	Weaver	41:42:00
Luke	Memmer	21:04		Kimo	Weaver	41:43:00
Mike	Brown	21:07		Wendy	Peterson	41:57:00
John	Hylas	21:11		Haddon	Wong-Yuen	42:23:00
Maka’ala	Cruz	21:15		Allan	Melchor	42:23:00
Jordan	Hirae	21:26		Steve	Warren	42:25:00
Stephen	Hunter	21:29		Michelle	Knell	42:30:00
Joe	Weideman	21:30		Norbert	Lindsey	42:42:00
Derek	Dominguez	21:33		Jason	Marquart	42:54:00
Krista	Andrew	22:00		Heidi	Lee	42:59:00
Kauila	Wong-Yuen	22:02		Charla	Chai	43:00:00
Nina	Hagemann	22:03		Digg	Deep	43:02:00
Jonah	Knell	22:38		Rose	Bautista	43:06:00
Ray	Ibarra	22:52		Denise	Matsuoka	43:33:00
Justin	Okuyama	23:03		Carolina	Lam	43:34:00
Lory	Hunter	23:07		John	Quitonano	43:43:00
Jeremy	Butts	23:08		Peter	Coffin	44:12:00
Shawn	Suga	23:28		Sandra	Silva	44:58:00
Kaylee	Rapoza	23:31		Joseph	Kamelamela	45:03:00
Kevin	Okumura	23:36		Jade	AhSing	45:22:00
Kelly	Freitas	23:38		Michelle	Correia	45:47:00
Lukas	Kuipers	23:40		Lorna	Mauga	45:54:00
Kihei	Grothmann	24:10:00		Sheye	Nihau	46:05:00
Roy	Yamada	24:32:00		Pat	Kaneshiro	46:08:00
Joshua	Daubert	24:41:00		Kehau	Lee Hong-Mauga	46:14:00
Kerry	Kanotani	24:42:00		Roy	alameida	46:32:00
James	Hank	24:42:00		Cornellia	Ahguay	47:00:00
Joann	Pocsidio	24:46:00		Gilbert	Angnay	47:12:00
Wendy	Yamada	24:46:00		David	DeWeese	47:13:00
Sheila	Nguyan	24:54:00		Bindy	Rushton	48:00:00
Harris	Kaneshiro	24:56:00		Richard	Rushton	48:01:00
Esther	Kanihailua	24:59:00		Cody	Pacheco	48:03:00
Donna	Wong-Yuen	25:12:00		Laury	Pacheco	48:10:00
Joshua	Kubiji	25:17:00		Noelani	Laeha	49:11:00
Paul	Escobar	25:28:00	`	Rachel	Laeha	49:40:00
Candice	Carbaugh	25:37:00		Richard	Grammer	walker
Micah	Kanehailua	25:51:00		Lorraine	Hubbard	walker
Jimmy	Park	25:51:00		Jeanin	Williams	walker
Andrew	Macaras	25:58:00		Hailey	Jones	walker
Ron	Fenwerda	26:00:00		Levon	Yu	walker
Peter	Berg	26:06:00		Christine	Bird	walker
Chase	Huston	26:11:00		Cindy	AhSing	walker
Laura	Ellesugawa	26:13:00		Ashly	Miura	walker
Ian	Ebesugawa	26:13:00		Nancy	Martinez	walker
Charles	King	26:23:00		Jordan	French	walker
Aaron	Morita	26:33:00		Michelle	Leondra	walker
Alan	Mitsuyoshi	26:45:00		Brianna	Daubert	walker
Richard	Grothmann	26:48:00		Kealoha	Daubert	walker
Trisha	Soares	26:58:00		Michiko	Fukunaka	walker
Anne	Veillet	27:06:00		Aiko	Fukunaka	walker
Marshall	Freitas	27:14:00		Mark	Nemeth	walker
Patrick	Donovan	27:16:00		Steve	Nemeth	walker
Roy	Geronimo	27:26:00		Ku’uipo	Palapalg	walker
Lynne	Brauher	28:02:00		Kahealani	Galdeira	walker
Jessica	Manton	28:30:00		Samantha	Silva	walker
Linda	Thompson	28:34:00		Amber	Eakins	walker
Kurt	Kuipers	28:35:00		Zunu	Eakins	walker
Kristina	Rushton	28:54:00		Regan	Mizuguchi	walker
Cherie	Berg	28:55:00		Deeanna	Kahakua	walker
Russell	Mauga	29:06:00		Destinee	Pruett	walker
Cahterine	Fadrowsky	29:07:00		Kaei	Holt-Mizuguchi	walker
Eve	Teeter-Balin	29:11:00		Magie	Freitas	walker
		29:12:00		Sue	Lambert	walker
Leroy	Ridgway	29:26:00		John	Dirgo	walker
Calvin	Mateo	29:39:00		Vergie	Freitas	walker
Roy	Farias	29:40:00		Kuehu	Lee-Hung Mauga	walker
Firmin	Tehero	29:44:00		John	Mauga	walker
Thalei	Kamalani-M	29:59:00		Moana Lei	Clark	walker
Big	Dog	30:07:00		Donald	Ikeda	walker
Darrell	Huston	30:08:00		Autumn	Kippen	walker
Larry	Aweau	30:10:00		Isaac	Soloman	walker
Lori	Breitharth	30:14:00		Quynh	Phan	walker
Lynn	Pitoy	30:34:00		Lauren	Brunke	walker
Lynn	Klasko	30:36:00		Anthony	Rowley	walker
Joni	Rhyss	30:39:00		Merle	Unoki	walker
Michele	Bugado	30:41:00		Gloria	Wagner	walker
Stacy	England	30:43:00		Bob	Wagner	walker
Annie	Svaty	30:47:00		Nadine	Clarke	walker
Cheryl	McDonough	31:03:00		Michael	Clarke	walker
Steve	McDonough	31:04:00		Norman	Sletteland	walker
Tricia	Wong-Yuen	31:09:00		Tonie	Saucedo	walker
Beverly	Beck	31:18:00		Tiani	Fontes	walker
Curt	Beck	31:18:00		Kanoe	Oguma	walker
Keith	Laeha	31:22:00		Carol	Higa	walker
Jamie	Ouye	31:29:00		Marlene	Hapai	walker
Alexa	Bader	31:32:00		Archie	Hapai	walker
Stan	Fortuna	31:53:00		Eileen	Lovell	walker
Mikaela	Correa	32:02:00		Angelina	Lovell	walker
Michael	Swain	32:03:00		Dacy Nan	Taka	walker
Dennis	Nagai	32:27:00		Katie	Tatum	walker
Kelsey	Poole	32:34:00		Joey	Riveira	walker
Karen	Ny	32:36:00		Sonya	Carvalho	walker
Ayme	Krogstad	32:43:00		Kathy	Pung	walker
Adriel	Vicente	32:44:00		Lokelani	Kipilii	walker
Joanna	Aurello	32:45:00		Eli	Kipilii	walker
Suzanne	Swanson	32:50:00		Ed	Kagawa	walker
Roy	Dollwet	33:24:00		Donna	Tengan	walker
Kainoa	Doctor	33:54:00		Karl	Unoki	walker
Shelley	Doctor	34:00:00		Andi	Unoki	walker
Travella	Williams	34:50:00		Aya	shehata	walker
Tarina	Owens	34:59:00		Noor	shehata	walker
Fariola	Ridgway	35:17:00		Zachary	Montizor	walker
Alex	Perez	35:18:00		Lorilyn	Montizor	walker
Herb	Wagner	35:29:00		Tonie	Kaui	walker
Kazumi	Dollwet	36:04:00		Malie	Johnston	walker
Wainani	Ballard	36:05:00		Shane	Johnston	walker
Taylor	Nelson	36:24:00		Noah	Johnston	walker
Cooper	Nelson	36:27:00		Paula	Palma	walker
Cindy	Nelson	36:35:00		angie	Palma	walker
Jimmy	Nelson	36:35:00		Zodie	Shove	walker
Jill	Osborne	36:53:00		Warren	Mauro	walker
Hannah	Osborne	36:58:00		Jasmine	mauro	walker
Rodney	Aurello	36:58:00		Pauline	Morante	walker
Gilbert	Williams	37:19:00		Clayman	Morante	walker
Alicia	Loh	37:26:00		Clayson	Morante	walker
Lisa	Soares	37:46:00		Davis	Abraham	walker
				Stacey	Kapeliela	walker
				Steve	Sparks	walker
				Andrea	Sparks	walker

Keoni Ucker finishes fourth at HPU Invitational – PacWest cross country

Keoni Ucker improves on his 7th place Naniloa finish

Keoni Ucker finished fourth in the Hawaii Pacific University Cross Country Invitational out of Kualoa Ranch on Oahu’s east shore.

Ucker, a former Christian Liberty Academy state track champion, finished the 8k course in 26:59.  It was his best performance in PacWest competition this season as he improved from his seventh place finish at Hilo’s Naniloa Golf Course run.

Brigham Young University-Hawaii won the team race followed by Hawaii Pacific University, California Baptist University, UHH and Chaminade University

Completing the UHH squad were Zach Johnson (17^th, 28:57), former Keaau High standout  Nick Hagemann (23^rd, 29:51), former CLA standout Justin Pang (25^th, 30:14), Paul Mauser (34^th, 32:12) and former Waiakea High standout James Imai (37^th, 32:41).

BYUH’s Thomas Puzey won the race with a time of 26:48.

The PacWest Championships will take place on Nov 6 at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu.  Jaime Guerpo is the Vulcan head coach.