Kahuku interim coach Tachibana is reapplying

Mounia Tachibana will be reapplying for the Kahuku girls volleyball head coaching job. She held the interim tag last fall. Cindy Ellen Russell / Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Mounia Tachibana will be reapplying for the Kahuku girls volleyball head coaching job. She held the interim tag last fall. Cindy Ellen Russell / Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Kahuku has put the word out that it is looking for applicants for its head girls volleyball coaching job.

It might just be a formality. The interim head coach from last year, Mounia Tachibana, told Hawaii Prep World on Friday that she will be reapplying. Because she was an interim coach, Kahuku is following protocol by posting the job opening. It’s possible Tachibana will be hired again.

Tachibana succeeded Lee Lamb and the Red Raiders went 14-3 overall and 12-2 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association last fall. In the state Division I tournament, Kahuku beat Leilehua and fourth-seeded Waiakea before losing to ‘Iolani in four sets in the semifinals.


Lamb moved to Le Jardin and took the Bulldogs to the state D-II championship game, where they lost to Hawaii Baptist.

If Kahuku hires someone aside from Tachibana, it would be the school’s sixth girls volleyball coach in six years.


After the 2013 football season, Kahuku posted an opening for the head coach and asked the current head coach Reggie Torres —— who had won state D-I titles in 2011 and 2012 —— to reapply. The Red Raiders eventually hired Lee Leslie, who took them to the state semifinals in 2014.


Leslie moved back to the mainland in the offseason and Vavae Tata took over in 2015, leading Kahuku to the D-I crown.

Kahuku’s latest volleyball coaches
>> 2010 and 2011: Kaniela Kalama
>> 2012: Camilla Ah-Hoy
>> 2013: Tehani Fiatoa
>> 2014: Lee Lamb
>> 2015: Mounia Tachibana
>> 2016: ?

COMMENTS

  1. Pukateet January 8, 2016 7:03 pm

    Kahuku needs the principal and AD to reapply somewhere else. Total incompetence by both administrators.


  2. J January 8, 2016 9:44 pm

    I agree!!! Kahuku principal should be nominated for donkey of the year


  3. Diane Cho January 8, 2016 10:00 pm

    This is the most ludicrous thing I have every heard and I have heard a lot. So does Vavae Tata also have to reapply for his job? What a prolific slap in the face….This Principal needs to rethink her position.


  4. dcho96707 January 8, 2016 10:02 pm

    Please change my post to include the above Name.


  5. hi808 January 9, 2016 8:07 am

    The principle is very well professional and knows her stuff as far as academics. The AD is head of athletics and should have things running smoothly but has proven to be less then anything capable. Cant leave out the fact that Kahuku parents seem to act like the most entitled parents in the world.


  6. Pukateet January 9, 2016 8:52 am

    @hi808. Professional ?? Is Installing a reapply rule to get rid of a certain coach concidered “professional”. We all know what that rule was installed for, now she needs to hold face so she’s continuing to do it. What kind of principal would get rid of a genuine person/coach, who gave 30 plus dedicated years to Kahuku? He had multiple OIA and state championships not only in football but in wrestling and judo. I’ll answer that question for you, an “unprofessional” one.


  7. Sam Owen January 9, 2016 9:02 am

    When any ILH school wins a State Championship these are the people that will remind everyone that ILH schools recruit Kahuku kids and that is why they win. What parent would want their child in a program that hires a new coach every year? I hope the principal doesn’t make Tata re-apply if she does, Kahuku could lose another coach (Torres to Punahou) to the ILH.


  8. BumBai January 9, 2016 9:37 am

    @hi808 hit the nail on the head. It’s the parents that run the show out in Raider Country. The varsity basketball coach just got axed mid season due to parents. I know a hand full of coaches that got the same treatment in the 90s prior to social media that got booted, because parents “didn’t like their style.” Only now we recognize it, because of a larger platform for us to share the news. It isn’t new, but it’s finally making news.


  9. Watcher January 9, 2016 11:13 am

    Why do people have such an huge issue with re-applying? In the private sector, many workers are on a 1 year contract. After the year is over they are asked to reapply.

    And when this principal came in she has the right to have anyone reapply. For example, my brother was the top seller for a national company that sold legalized drugs. They grossed over 250 million in sales annually. He was the top salesperson in the US selling more than 15 million in sales a year.

    What makes it even more impressive is that Hawaii is a smaller market than New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.

    Well the company got bought out and my brother got laid off. He didn’t even get to apply for the job. And this isn’t a part time gig like coaching, this is his career that is essential to take care of his family.

    Remind you, he was the top seller in the nation with a workforce of over 1000 people. And he is the top money maker. And he gets laid off with no opportunity to keep his job.

    Why you might ask? Whenever new leadership (owners) arrives they have the right to hire people that they trust and feel comfortable. Others often want to make sure thy hired the right person and they fit under the new practices of new leadership.

    Go and watch any professional sport. When there is either a new owner or new general manager, often the first thing they do is fire the entire coaching staff and bring in their own people.

    That is very smart business. If I was the AD and had the power, I would open up every position and hire people that I conducted interviews with. Why should you retain people you never had the opportunity to interview, do background checks on, talk to their references, etc.

    Go and ask any CEO of a company in Hawaii and most of them do the same thing as the Kahuku administration has been doing in terms of hiring.

    If you keep everyone in place, especially if you weren’t the one who hired them is crazy.


  10. Education First January 9, 2016 11:40 am

    Pukateet January 9, 2016 at 8:52 am
    @hi808. Professional ?? Is Installing a reapply rule to get rid of a certain coach concidered “professional”. We all know what that rule was installed for, now she needs to hold face so she’s continuing to do it. What kind of principal would get rid of a genuine person/coach, who gave 30 plus dedicated years to Kahuku? He had multiple OIA and state championships not only in football but in wrestling and judo. I’ll answer that question for you, an “unprofessional” one.

    Hiring a coach every year is very professional as long as it is done without bias. If the coach signs a 1 year contract like the rest of the OIA coaches do, then the AD or Principal has the right to rehire every year.

    As for getting rid of a professional that has dedicated over 30 years? That is done all the time. How often do you see a person work over 25 years in a job? In 25 or 30 years, an individual often is burnt out or the skills necessary has passed them by, so companies move on.

    Personally if I owned a company, I would be hesitant to employ anyone longer than 20 years. And many people who are laid off every year all over the US are genuine people that work hard and have performed well.

    That’s how the workplace operates. Job security is not great in this time of financial hardship and economic challenges.


  11. Education First January 9, 2016 12:10 pm

    Doing it every year isn’t to get anyone specific out. It is done since it’s a practice that many companies and organizations use around the country. I’d bet if you counted, it would be in the tens of thousands, if not the hundreds of thousands.

    Have you ever been an owner, CEO, or someone in a leadership position that is in charge of hiring? This is very common so I do not understand the backlash. What is she doing different than thousands of other organizations?


  12. hi808 January 9, 2016 2:44 pm

    If I were the principal at Kahuku I would do the same thing and conduct interviews every year for new coaches. This would encourage all you arm chair coaches to apply with your unqualified credentials. Then I would call you in for an interview and tell you “NO YOU CANT DO A BETTER JOB THEN OUR CURRENT COACHES AND YOU ARE NOT EVEN QUALIFIED TO CARRY THE WATER COOLER SO IF U DONT LIKE OUR PROGRAM TAKE YOUR KID SOME WHERE ELSE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT PROGRAM”


  13. Education First January 9, 2016 3:44 pm

    @hi808, didn’t you know that some of the best coaches are on this blog. Now they don’t actually coach in real life, but they are really great at coaching on this blog. They know more than actual coaches. They know more than college coaches like Jesse Nakanishi who supports Coach Alan Akina.

    I have to disagree with one of your points. I think some of these parents are more than able to carry a water cooler. They are still carrying their 16-18 year old children and not allowing them to live their own lives and deal with adversity on their own.

    But I like your hiring practices. I am confused though. When you see names on the resume such as 88, Hahashandah, bawlah, and so many more Kahuku parents, how will you contact them to come in for an interview?

    I do think that none of them have the courage or integrity to apply. They are too busy badmouthing fine coaches since they know they can’t do it themselves.

    I like the way you think hi808. And for those of you who think hi808 is me, he is not and Jerry can authenticate it. He’s not one of my 104 usernames.


  14. 88 January 9, 2016 4:30 pm

    We have just as much courage as you do buddy. How the hell you going call people out to post their name when you don’t have the balls to do it yourself? Yet you have the balls to call these young kids names and even insult their mothers. It’s to bad the condom broke but than again this blog would be boring without you and your MANY MANY names….


  15. Spartan January 9, 2016 5:05 pm

    Yeah and if I wasn’t here who would hold you accountable for being arguably of the dumbest people in Hawaii? Who would show the world how bad the test scores are in Kahuku. And who would have figured out that your kids are not good enough to get playing time? And all your nephews blogging on here helping you get your kids playing time cuz they can’t earn it the old fashioned way. You need me!

    Let me guess you will come back with the same tired comment about using multiple names, or something sexually inappropriate. You are tired and a coward. You called me out and I showed. Did you? No. Why not, cuz u scared, real scared! I even put my email address, did you send me anything?


  16. Jerry Campany January 9, 2016 5:40 pm

    That’s true, hi808 is the only user on this board from that ip address.


  17. hi808 January 9, 2016 6:42 pm

    What?! You babbogum detectives dont know how to use unkos computer from across the street for account #2 and the 4G phone connection for account #3. Hahaha!


  18. 88 January 9, 2016 7:33 pm

    Stop lying bro. you was nowhere in sight so you keep coming on here posting your lies but we both no you checken $#it. And my so called son who you keep saying cant get any playing time is a State Champion. Did you ever ask your MANY SELVE’s why a kid who is a State Champion and has offers from some big time division 1 schools not only decide to sit out in protest but said what he said about his Coach? He didnt complain about playing time, he voiced his concerns about obvious favoritism that was HURTING THE CHEMISTRY AND MORALE OF THE TEAM. So you keep massaging the coaches LaLo’s and being a computer tough guy.


  19. Education First January 9, 2016 8:28 pm

    YAWN! Name me one lie I made? Which kid got a D1 scholarship in Basketball? And you are telling me that every kid who gets a D1 scholarship and wins a state title are of the highest character?

    Really? There have been so many kids who get into trouble and make bad decisions who won state titles and got a D1 scholarship.

    Look as Jameis Winston. He won a national title and he makes bad decisions. Why? They are kids who make bad decisions. You are ridiculous and a coward. At first I though you were just dumb and a coward. Now let’s add ridiculous.

    You say, “And my so called son who you keep saying cant get any playing time is a State Champion.”

    So that means all the state champions in water polo, air riflery, track, volleyball, kayaking, hop-scotch, jacks, teather-ball, etc., should get playing time since they won a state title in another sport? That is another ridiculous statement. You never cease to amaze me with the BAD POINTS you make.

    And what makes a high school kid an expert on what he/she feels is favoritism? Has the kid ever been in a position to evaluate favoritism? Kind of coming from a very subjective point of view don’t you think?

    But let’s review the facts:

    1) You are an idiot, ridiculous, and a coward.

    2) I showed up at the hospital with my sign and no one named 88 or My Son Doesn’t Play and I’m Angry was there (well you probably was, but we hiding behind the ambulance).

    3) Kahuku has arguably the lowest academics in Hawaii if not the world.

    4) You think kids who win state titles in other sports than the one they are currently competing in should get playing time based on what they did in the sport they aren’t currently playing.

    5) You also think that kids who get Division 1 scholarship and/or win state titles don’t ever make poor decisions.

    6) You continue to defend yourself and your son for lack of playing time since the AKINA BOYS are 100 times better and the coaches around the island have gone on record to say they are. I have yet to see any coach even go off the record to say Akina is using the kids wrong.

    7) You live through your kid, live through this blog, and I love to irritate you with my use of 1047 usernames. And I know it bugs you since you continue to bring it up over and over again. We all know if something doesn’t bug you, then you ignore it. You learn that in Kindergarten (assuming you went to Grade K. After reading your posts I am unsure if you went that high).

    8) Tita’s might make the best plate lunch in Hawaii (ran by my uncle and aunty, grew up with Harland (living in Idaho now) and Kingsley. I bet they both think you are an idiot if I showed them the stuff you write.

    Keep em coming, this is more fun than watching TV. Chapelle, Murphy, Hart, Pryor, and Foxx cannot make me laugh as hard as the stuff you write.

    I should be paying you honestly. What is your paypal address. I can send you $400, I figure that’s about how much the government is giving you right about now.

    You can thank me and other honest tax payers (like Coach Akina) later.

    Isn’t that ironic? You collect welfare and unemployment from tax payers, then you badmouth one of them who you are collecting from when you get your weekly checks.

    How Rude!

    7) You are afraid of me.


  20. Education First January 9, 2016 8:46 pm

    http://scoringlive.com/boysbasketball/gamesummary.php?gameid=14967

    McKinley: 53
    Kahuku without Coach Akina: 39

    So after complaining and getting rid of the coach, Kahuku is 2-2 in league play with wins over perennial state contenders Anuenue & Roosevelt. And they lost to the #1 team in the state Kaimuki and #5 ranked McKinley.


  21. hi808 January 9, 2016 9:14 pm

    If your kid is a full time football player, goes to FOOTBALL camps every summer, trains and works out for FOOTBALL year round so that he can get that D1 scollie that he earned. Maybe he shouldnt be telling a basketball coach what to do, or criticising the coaches son who is a full time BASKETBALL player year round. Because if im not mistaken we all know the reason why the football team loss to Kaiser under coach Leslie in 2014.


  22. Education First January 9, 2016 9:27 pm

    12/22 vs. Kaimuki
    Kaimuki – 48
    Kahuku – 60
    Anae 25; Akina 15; Latu 12 (NOTES: Anae has the most shot attempts on Kahuku)

    1/5 vs. Kaimuki
    Kaimuki- 46
    Kahuku – 43
    Latu 15; Anae – 7 (NOTES: Akina never played and Coach Akina never coached)

    So based on this game, with Coach Akina coaching and his son playing, they win by 12. They both aren’t there and they lose by 3. That is a difference of 15 points.

    What’s more interesting is that Anae’s scoring drops from 25 to 7. I don’t understand that. If there is so much favoritism, how much Anae got more shots in the first Kaimuki game than Akina?

    If there was blatant favoritism going on wouldn’t both his sons have the most shots and not another players?

    And if the kids cannot play for Coach Akina due to this air of favoritism and wanted him gone, why did they lose to a team that they beat only 2 weeks earlier when he wasn’t there anymore?

    You would think that after he left and the kids were rid of the favoritism like they wanted, they would win by 20-30 since under duress they were able to win by 12.

    I cannot explain this? The facts don’t support many of the complainers. Let’s examine these two games:

    1) They win with Akina, lose without him.
    2) Anae leads the team in shot attempts in the first game under Coach Akina and scores 25.
    3) When Coach Akina doesn’t coach this team Anae scores only 7 against the exact same team.

    I don’t think the Kahuku complainers, oops I mean bloggers don’t believe in science. The numbers don’t support their argument. Oh yeah I forgot, they let subjective parents and teenagers run the show out there.


  23. Education First January 9, 2016 9:30 pm

    That’s a great point of view hi808. Touche…


  24. Richard Acuna January 10, 2016 5:31 am

    Not sure what Akina brothers Education First has watched play basketball but if he saw the Iolani Classic he would know that Alan Akina is totally favoring his sons. The younger son has no business playing on the varsity level. Kawika Akina had about 10 turnovers in 2 minutes and couldn’t even get the ball past mid-court. The year before his older son took the last shot in several games and made none of the designed play. Its one thing to have confidence in your kid but its quite a different matter when both boys are very average compared to the talent that they have at Kahuku for the last 4-5 years (in Basketball). The best player on their team transferred to the mainland to seek better competition and better coaching. Latu and Anae are the best players and the Akina boys are serviceable.


  25. Hahashandah January 10, 2016 9:19 am

    @Education First YAWN! Name me one lie I made?

    Hi there remember you were just LYING about FAKE stats you just MADE UP. Let me remind you since you have short term memory 🙂

    http://www.hawaiiprepworld.com/boys-basketball/kahukus-akina-addresses-suspension-on-facebook/#comments


  26. Hahashandah January 10, 2016 2:29 pm

    @Education First, I think this score that is most important for your purpose is Kahuku vs Maryknoll 79-37… Why shouldn’t compare the two Kaimuki game’s you ask? Because after the first Kaimuki game (minus the 2 sons) you only had 3 willing to play for Akina. It stands to reason if Coach Akina stayed on to coach the second Kaimuki game most of the team would not have played with him… resulting in another bow out loss. So, now comparatively them without Akina was a close game that could have gone either way which ended in a loss. But a coach without the rest of the team… Well the Maryknoll score.


  27. Education First January 10, 2016 4:56 pm

    @Education First, I think this score that is most important for your purpose is Kahuku vs Maryknoll 79-37

    Could you please write this again for me? I only understand English. Is that a sentence you are attempting to compose above? What are you saying? I do not speak IDIOT?

    Please write it again in English so I can properly respond.

    My head hurts, this is arguably the worst composed piece I ever saw. Nowhere in your post is a coherent sentence.

    C’mon Star Advertiser, shouldn’t you have standards that people should have to write simple sentences on here? We are now all dumber for trying to understand what you just wrote.

    I have no idea what you are saying.


  28. Hahashandah January 10, 2016 6:35 pm

    In other words. You don’t want to engage in a debate with someone who has already proven you are some liar who tries to mix in your opinion and pass it off as fact. Still waiting for that source of your Shaq Stats.


  29. Pollster January 11, 2016 12:11 pm

    Hahashandah, are you the poster that asked someone to google “lame ball handling?”


  30. Education First January 11, 2016 12:18 pm

    http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/614/shaquille-oneal

    Here are my stats. Show me where any of the Kahuku boys have stats near this before Shaq’s body started to break down?

    To compare these kids who are athletic but fundamentally sound to one of the most fundamentally sound big men is ridiculous. Shaq had a drop step. He could open pivot and faceup. He had a up and under and a jump hook.. He also had a reverse spin of an inside move. These Kahuku kids might have one move if lucky. And if they are allowed to catch with a defend behind them over 5-6 feet from the basket they are done.

    You can keep making up stuff but the entire world knows that you are angry because your kid sits bench. And I understand why you have to live through sports. I mean what else does your kid have? It’s not academics as demonstrated by some of the lowest test scores in the state if not the world.

    Anytime you want to engage in a debate let’s go, but you have to write properly for anyone with half a brain to understand. Look at your writing. To call it acceptable would be irresponsible on our end.

    I know you are trying your best but your mommy and daddy failed you. And now, like a good parent you feel like you are failing your son after you look at his report cards. But to attack a coach of high integrity like Coach Akina will not change the fact that you have failed as a parent. I mean like parent like child. I can only imagine how your kids writes.


  31. Ua Ova Lou Taimi January 13, 2016 1:16 pm

    Common denominator = ADMIN


  32. ATKAHUKU August 12, 2016 11:33 am

    You know I read through all the responses in this article, all are very good points of view,
    but the comments given by Education First about how Kahuku Quote: has arguably the lowest academics in Hawaii if not the world. Is a very wrong statement, How do you based that on? when Kahuku has won so many Academic awards for a long time now.
    I’m sorry but the people and kids over on the North Shore that attend that School and have been there for Generations Are Not STUPID country Hicks. Why does everyone I meet that are from out of the country area think we are just a bunch of Dumb people.
    So check your facts and have a nice day.


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