Big Dog’s BIIF Girls cross-country, Projected State Qualifiers

Girls Varsity start at Kamehameha

Every two weeks the Big Dog will project the leading (3) teams in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation cross-country, along with the top 11 individual runners and the 5 alternate runners. 

The top three teams, along with the top 11 individual runners outside of those three teams, will be heading to the state championship held in Kauai on November 1st.  The following is just Big Dog’s prediction as of Sept. 14, 2oo9.

GIRLS:  TOP THREE TEAMS as of Sept. 14, 2009

   HPA, defending BIIF team champions, Coach Michael Franklin

   HONOKAA, Coach Josh Abner

   HILO, Coach Lory Hunter

Top 11 individual runners for state qualifiers:

1. Kaitlyn Chock, Waiakea
2. Kelsie Kobayashi, Waiakea
3. Bronte Kaneakua, Kamehameha
4. Grace Choe, Makua Lani
5. Alexis Mabuni, Makua Lani
6. Kalena Shiroma, Kamehameha
7. Rachael Bianchi, Kealakehe
8. Corin Kim, Kamehameha
9. Kari Van Mols, Kealakehe
10.   Mary Jo Osorio, Kohala
11.   Erin Scully, Kamehameha

Top 5 Alternates:

1. Isla Kruger-Burgess, Kealakehe
2. Jeanine Hoy, Parker
3. Mary Jessica Wuscher, Keaau
4. Lauren Hill, Waiakea
5. Roya Sabri, Kealakehe

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Registration Deadline Extended for Youth Sports Conference

PCA Conference is set for Saturday, Sept 26 Registration deadline is Tuesday, Sept 15

Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii – Organizers today announced a registration deadline extension for the youth sports conference set for Saturday, September 26, 2009 at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Tuesday, September 15 is the new deadline for conference registration.

The community conference, “Facilitating Extraordinary Accomplishments in Hawaii’s Youth (FEAHY),” is designed for participants to examine “how we do youth sports—our local youth sports culture.”

Request registration forms by email from PCABigIsland@hawaiiantel.net or at the County’s Recreation Division office at 799 Piilani Street in Hilo.

The community conference is organized by the County of Hawaii’s Recreation Division, the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Campus Center and Athletic Department, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF), Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Big Island.

Opening for FEAHY 2009 will begin with registration and a continental breakfast served at 8:30 a.m. in UH-Hilo UCB 127.

Takahara-Dias

Hawaiian Airlines is sponsoring inter-island transportation for Coach Takahara-Dias, head coach for UH-Manoa women’s basketball, who will deliver the day’s keynote address.

Mayor Billy Kenoi, BIIF president and Hilo High School principal Bob Dircks will help open the conference. 

County Parks and Recreation director, Bob Fitzgerald, is scheduled to discuss the County’s PCA program at the end of the conference.

During the conference, participants also will hear from a panel of sports and education leaders, parents and coaches. 

Josh Pacheco

ESPN Radio commentator, Josh Pacheco, will serve as panel moderator. 

The panel includes Dexter Irvin, the new UH-Hilo athletic director; Randy Hirokawa, UH-Hilo dean of arts and sciences; Mason Souza, County recreation specialist; Doug Connors, North Hawaii community activist and sports parent; and Amy Malinowski, athletic trainer at Kea’au High School.

Two PCA workshops—“Becoming a Triple Impact Competitor” for high school student-athletes, and “Developing Competitors” for coaches—will be provided for participants.

Afternoon break-out sessions will enable participants to hear additional presentations on the following topics.

• “What is leadership and why does it matter?” by Harvey Tajiri
• “The Four Fishes:  a unique understanding of leadership” by Kurt Dela Cruz
• “The importance of planning and preparation to improve not only efficiency and effectiveness, but maintain motivation and concentration” by Robin Takahashi
• “The meaning of self-discipline”   by Dexter Irvin

 PCA Big Island facilitates workshop training for adults who shape the youth sports experience and for high school student athletes.

Get Positive Coaching Alliance information on the web at http://www.positivecoach.org.

UHH Prof is one of island’s top Cyclist

Cyclist Steve Lundblad at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

 Sometimes in life things happen for a purpose.  Such was the case for cross-country and track runner, Steve Lundblad.

    Lundblad grew up in Central Washington State, in a town called Yakima, and excelled in both sports and academics.

    “I participated in many outdoor activities growing up,” Lundblad said.   In junior high and high school Lundblad ran on the cross-country team and participated in various events while on the track and field team, eventually concentrating on the high jump.

    “I continued jumping in college until I started to spend more time in the training room than on the track.  That’s when I began competing at the collegiate level in bicycle racing, which was a club sport,” he said.

Steve Lundblad

Lundblad’s personal best in the high jump was 6 feet 6 inches when he competed at Harvard University.  It was at Harvard that Lundblad stumbled on bicycle racing and was coached by three time Olympian and national road champion, John Allis.

   After living in various locations to attend graduate schools, Lundblad and his wife Nancy, returned to Yakima for an additional 10 years. 

   A friend from college, Karen Nakamoto, would always encourage the Lundblad’s to move to Hilo.  “It took several years of convincing before we made the decision to live in Hilo,” Lundblad said.

    Lundblad’s wife took a job as the medical director of the Hilo Medical Center (she no longer works there) and he joined the faculty in the Geology Department at the University of Hawaii at Hilo where he serves as an assistant professor.

   “It is great teaching geology in an area with active volcanoes.  I also work with Peter Mills, a UHH archaeologist, tracing the origin and exchange of stone tools by pre-contact native Hawaiians.  We analyze them for geochemical signatures, which relate to the locales of the origination of the rocks,” Lundblad said.

    Lundblad’s running days ended during the early 1990’s when he suffered a badly broken foot.  “I spend most of my time these days cycling, in part to my brittle joints as well as to enjoy the beautiful surroundings here on the Big Island,” he said.

Lance Armstrong

In 1991 Lundblad competed in the Texas state championship road race with a young kid by the name of Lance Armstrong.  “Lance was still a relative unknown but becoming the “kid” to watch.  Later that year he (Armstrong) became the national bicycling road race champion, while I went back to graduate school,” Lundblad said.

    The Lundblad’s also rode up the famous Alpe d’Huez climb during the 2003 Tour de France.  “It was quite an experience to ride up the hill with hundreds of thousands of people lining the roads.  They were there waiting to watch the world’s best cyclists climb the same road at unbelievable speeds just a few hours later,” he said.

    Lundblad was also a regular cross country skier when he lived during the winter months in Washington State.  “Cross country skiing is an activity that is mostly limited to my vacations now,” he said.

   But this past February Lundblad did compete in the American Birkebeiner cross country ski race held in Wisconsin with world renowned skier Bjorn Daehlie of Norway.  “Training for the cold and snowy race was a bit of a challenge here in Hilo,” Lundblad said.

   The Birkebeiner race was a challenging 54 km (33 miles) event and Lundblad was only able to get in a few days worth of snow skiing prior to the race.  “I spent several days in Hilo on my roller skis getting interesting looks from people,” he said.

    Daehlie participated in the event as a way to raise money and awareness for MS, which his mother has, and he finished second overall.  Lundblad finished somewhere in the middle of the pack of over 7,000 skiers.

    At age 46 Lundblad is lean and a picture of good health.  Due to his regular exercise routine Lundblad doesn’t have to worry about weight which leaves room for him to eat a variety of foods.

    “I am lucky to not worry too much about how much I eat, as my weight doesn’t really fluctuate very much.  I try to enjoy a balanced diet, but generally need to eat a lot of food, so there is room for plenty of everything.  It’s terrific to live here in Hawaii with fresh fruits and vegetables all year at the farmer’s market and the garden,” Lundblad said.

   Rarely does a day go by that Lundblad isn’t on his bike.  He has found a group of friends to ride with a few days a week, spending about two hours per ride.  “During the summer some of us rode a bit more to get ready for competitive events like the Sea to Stars race which leaves Bayfront in Hilo and climbs to the visitor center at 9000 feet on Mauna Kea,” he said.

   Over the Labor Day weekend Lundblad was in Honolulu to compete in the rigorous Dick Evans Memorial Road Race which took cyclist 112 miles around Oahu.  Lundblad finished 14^th out of 181 starters in a time of 5 hours and 14 minutes.

    Lundblad was very fortunate to find something he truly loves to do after breaking his foot more than 15 years ago.  He was also very fortunate to have found good mentors during his early cycling days that taught him how to ride safely and efficiently.

     “For folks who are interested in cycling for fitness, my advice is to find people who ride regularly and go with them.  It will be more fun, you will learn a lot, and there is more incentive to participate regularly if you know someone else will be there with you.  We are always looking for new people to join our group and we’ll get you started on the right pedal!” Lundblad said.

    You can contact Steve Lundblad at slundbla@hawaii.edu.