Big Island Sports Hall of Fame induction on Sunday

     BIG ISLAND SPORTS HALL OF FAME CEREMONIES ON SUNDAY

The Big Island Sports Hall of Fame will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame in the Prince Kuhio Mall on Sunday, August 21 at 10:30 am followed by a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon.

The BISHF announced last month the seven inductees for the 13^th class into the Wall of Fame as:

Sam Alameda, Sr. – basketball and Manager of the Waiakea Boxing Club

Dennis Asuncion (deceased) – Boxing, Coach and Official

Olizario Galo Fernandez – Basketball, Baseball and Coach

Robert Fitzgerald – Football and Baseball

Charles Ikeda – Basketball, Coach and Recreational Leader for Youth Organizations

John Clifford Kekua, Jr. (deceased) Canoe Paddling and Coach

Stephen L. Perry – Athletic Director, Coach, State Athletic Golf Coordinator

The seven inductees will be introduced and their photos will be displayed on the wall at the Prince Kuhio Plaza.  The public is invited to attend the unveiling and past inductees are encouraged to come out and support the newly inducted honorees.

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under.  Seating is limited and tickets will not be sold at the door.

Advance tickets may be purchased by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

The late Jack Matsui was the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

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Ikeda to be inducted into Big Island Sports Hall of Fame

Charles Ikeda

Often there is a distinction between being a boss and being a leader. 

Henry Kissinger said, “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.”

Using Kissinger’s definition can well describe Big Island resident Charles Ikeda who for most of his 61 years has been a leader in our community.

Ikeda was born in Tokyo, Japan and his family moved to Pahoa in 1956 when he was 6 years old.

“I got interested in basketball as I was growing up in Pahoa,” Ikeda said.  “We used to play all day long behind Miura Store until we were called home to dinner.”

The little makeshift dirt court behind Miura’s had a backboard and a rim attached to an electric pole and it was there that Ikeda played and practiced with other youngsters from the neighborhood.

The time spent on that dirt court paid big dividends for Ikeda as he spent two years on the Daggers junior varsity basketball team and another two years playing for the varsity hoops squad.

By his senior year Ikeda became co-captain of the basketball team with Lawrence Sanoria.

In high school Ikeda was showing his leadership skills on and off the court as he served as the Daggers senior class president.

Ikeda attended the University of Hawaii, Manoa campus where he received a certificate in physical education.

After a brief stint as a classroom teacher Ikeda found his calling with the County’s Parks and Recreation Department.

“I worked with P & R for 32 years and started out coaching in Pepeekeo,” Ikeda said.  “I also worked in Paauilo and you gotta love basketball to work in Paauilo.”

His work out in Paauilo was a dream job come true as Ikeda spent every day doing what he loved to do.

“Paauilo was basketball heaven,” he said.  “Everyone would want to call me out to play them one on one and I’d be more than willing to accommodate them.”

Ikeda tutored some of the youngsters that are now considered great coaches themselves on the Big Island.

People like Mason Souza, David Kaneshiro, Daphne and Clayton Honma and others came under his leadership skills.

In 1983 Ikeda moved back into Hilo and was asked to coach the Girls basketball program at E.B. De Silva Elementary School and became an age group coach.

“I continued my coaching at De Silva with Jimmy Shimose,” Ikeda said.  “It was then that we started coaching in the Piopio Bears organization where I continue to volunteer today.”

Ikeda expanded his basketball leadership skills to other sports as he helped programs such as volleyball and baseball.

Married to the former Joyce Higashi, Ikeda and his wife helps with a program called “Under His Wings” which provides breakfast for the homeless and will also prepare fried rice at the New Hope Church on Sundays.

Ikeda also takes care of his body by walking an hour and a half two or three times per week.

“I also love to play golf with my friends, but I don’t think I would consider it exercise,” he said with a wide grin.  “I try to golf three or four times per week.”

Since his retirement last year, from the County’s P&R Department, Ikeda has continued with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in his ongoing effort to help the Hawaii Island community.

For his tireless work with youngsters, feeding the homeless, helping his church and joining the RSVP program Mr. Charles Ikeda has been selected as one of the seven people chosen to be inducted to the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Mall on August 21 at 10:30 am.

All seven inductees will be honored with their photos being unveiled at the Mall.

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

“The greatest satisfaction in working with young people is when they remember where they came from and return the favor by coming back to the organization to help in any way they can,” Ikeda said.  “So I thank all those that gave a little because a little can go a long way.”

And some day should you happen to see a grateful runner come passing through the streets of Hawaiian Paradise Park remember to smile, say “woof” and never shy away from “Running with the Big Dog.”

Email the Big Dog at waiakeabigdog@aol.com.

 

 

Kohala’s Galo Fernandez to be inducted to Hall of Fame

Olizario Galo Fernandez from Kohala has been inducted into the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

Born in 1937 Fernandez started his sports career by playing basketball and baseball for the 6^th Regiment in Europe for three years.

Returning to Kohala in 1965 Fernandez began a 45 year coaching career for Park and Recreation and the Catholic Open League coaching both baseball and basketball.

Fernandez also spent six years coaching the Kohala High School Baseball team where he son, Don, succeeded him and is the current Cowboy coach.

During the last 21 years Fernandez has played and coached the Kohala Seniors softball team.

For all that he has accomplished in Big Island sports Fernandez will be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, August 21. The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame in the Prince Kuhio Mall, 10:30 am to induct Fernandez and the six other deserving selections.

“We will introduce the seven and display their photos to the wall,” BISHF selection committee chair Derek Shigematsu said.  “We are hoping that past inductees and the general public will come out to support the newly inducted honorees.”

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

The late Jack Matsui was the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

Related Links:

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/diehard-boston-fan-hpas-stephen-perry/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/county-pr-director-to-be-inducted-to-sports-hall-of-fame/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/31/dennis-asuncion-inducted-into-big-island-sports-hall-of-fame/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/canoe-paddling-icon-inducted-into-sports-hall-of-fame/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/sam-alameda-to-be-inducted-into-sports-hall-of-fame/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/big-island-sports-hall-of-fame-to-induct-7/

Diehard Boston Fan, HPA’s Stephen Perry

Steve Perry

It never ceases to amaze me with the quality of athletic talent we have here on Hawai’i Island.

Many of these outstanding athletes go on to share their knowledge with young people which makes for a community we can all be proud of.

It just happens that one of these individuals is also an avid Boston fan.

“I grew up in the New England area and I am a diehard Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots and Celtics fan,” Stephen Perry said.

Perry is best known to all followers of Big Island Interscholastic Federation sports as the athletic director at Hawaii Preparatory Academy.

“I don’t see the job of AD at HPA as being stressful,” he said.  “I see it as one that needs organization and planning.  The key is to be surrounded by good people (coaches) who know how to get the most out of our student athletes.”

Perry knows firsthand what it takes to be a good student athlete as he played soccer, hockey and baseball for four years in high school at Governor Dummer Academy in Massachusetts.

“I always played sports growing up,” Perry said.  “There are four boys and a girl in our family and all were involved in a variety of sports when we were young.”

Perry went on to play collegiately at St. Lawrence University in New York where he played two years on the hockey team and one year with the soccer squad.

After graduating from college Perry landed a job as a math teacher at Hawaii Prep in 1983 and has been here ever since.

“I came to Hawaii right out of college, thinking I’d only come for a year,” Perry said.  “Now, 28 years later I’m still having fun.”

Perry was fortunate enough to become the baseball and soccer coach during his first year at HPA and went on to serve another five years at the baseball helm and an additional 17 years as the boy’s soccer coach.

“I became the Athletic Director in 1990 and I’m still coaching the girl’s soccer team for the past 17 years,” he said.

But unless you’ve seen him on the links you wouldn’t know that Perry is a 4 handicap golfer.

“These days on a good day I play at 4 handicap,” he said.  “There are so many good golf courses on the Big Island, but I would always enjoy the challenge of Mauna Kea Beach if given the opportunity.”

Perry got involved with junior golf about a dozen years ago when the HSJGA started up in Hawaii.

“Mary Bea Porter King, the president of the HSJGA, opened my eyes to the USGA Junior Am Committee and to Rules of Golf workshops,” Perry said.  “I have officiated many tournaments around Hawaii over the past decade and also work at the USGA Junior Am Championship on the mainland each July.”

Perry, who is married to Robyn for the past 19 years have four children Justin (14), Julia (12), Jenna (9), and Jordan (7) who all are active in sports participation.

Perry continues to take care of himself by using the treadmill each morning before heading to work.

“I get on the treadmill for 30 to 40 minutes each day,” Perry said.  “With coaching soccer I get to run around on the pitch with the players, some, but not as much as I used to years ago.”

As for diet Perry claims he has a boring one that works well for him.

“For breakfast its cereal with fruit and for lunch I’ll have a sandwich everyday of either turkey, ham or tuna, with Subway always being a good option” he said.  “I like to have dinner at home with the family whenever possible and chicken with pasta is a personal favorite.”

Perry’s health related goals are simple.

“I’d like to stay active as much as possible,” he said.  “Walking 18 holes instead of riding a cart and kicking the soccer ball around with my children whenever possible.”

Perry is a good example of someone who has a busy job that takes good care of himself while making positive contributions to young people and the community.

It is of little surprise that he was selected along with six other individuals to be recognized by the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame later this month.  

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame in the Prince Kuhio Mall on Sunday, August 21 at 10:30 am to induct Perry and the six other deserving selections.

“We will introduce the seven and display their photos to the wall,” BISHF selection committee chair Derek Shigematsu said.  “We are hoping that past inductees and the general public will come out to support the newly inducted honorees.”

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

The late Jack Matsui was the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

And someday should you happen to see a happy jogger attending a Hall of Fame luncheon remember to smile, say “woof” and never shy away from “Running with the Big Dog.”

Email the Big Dog at waiakeabigdog@aol.com

 

 

County P&R Director to be inducted to Sports Hall of Fame

Robert Fitzgerald

Robert Fitzgerald to be inducted to Sports Hall of Fame

Country Park and Recreation Director, Robert Fitzgerald, will be inducted into the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame on August 21.

Fitzgerald has spent numerous years coaching a variety of sports teams.

From 1978 to ’79 Fitzgerald coached P&R baseball before becoming an assistant football coach at Konawaena.

While working with the Wildcat program the team won four league titles and played in the Mac Nut Bow, Ellison Onizuka Memorial Game, and the Neighbor Island Championships.

From 2003 to 2005 Fitzgerald was an assistant football coach at Hawaii Preparatory Academy and in 2009 he became the Director of County Parks and Recreation.

For his tireless work with youngsters, Fitzgerald has been selected as one of the seven people chosen to be inducted to the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Mall on August 21 at 10:30 am.

Fitzgerald along with the six other inductees will be honored with their photos being unveiled at the Mall.

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.