Farrington athletic director Harold Tanaka said Wednesday that Daniel Sanchez is the new football coach for the Governors.
He takes over for Randall Okimoto, who stepped down in March after 16 years at the helm. Sanchez was an offensive coordinator under Okimoto.
“I am excited, honored and blessed to be part of this,” Sanchez said via cellphone Wednesday. “Hopefully, we can do some good things.”
Sanchez is cut from the same football mold as Okimoto and their former coach, the late Skippa Diaz.
Diaz coached Sanchez and Okimoto with the Govs, when Okimoto (class of 1992) was one of the top running backs in the state and Diaz (class of 1991) was his fullback.
“He’s my high school classmate, my teammate,” said Okimoto, when reached by cellphone Wednesday. “He’s one year older than me. He proved then how unselfish he was, being a fullback in the I formation.”
Sanchez was the JV head coach in two different stints with Farrington before becoming Okimoto’s OC. He is also a teacher at the school.
“Skippa used to tell us: ‘We. Us. Ourselves. And to get rid of me, myself and I.’ ” Okimoto said. “Daniel is the one who brought that back.”
At least 12 candidates applied for the job.
Sanchez said he will be committed to education.
“The biggest thing for me that we’re going to address is academics,” he said. “If you take care of that, everything else will fall into place easier. We want to be committed to that.”
Good luck Coach Sanchez!!
You deserve it Daniel Sanchez, congratulations.
Who?
I thought that former Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai had this job hands down.
Congrats and look for good things to come out of Farr this year.
Inside hire, who’s son plays baseball for Govs….Same O nothing will change, poor Govs..D2 here we come..
By hearing this I was shock yet hey everyone deserves to have a second chance..In the past we did occur a conflict with this coach that had the rude profanity of words to a former football player that graduated. I just hope this coach step up his attitude. Now he’s not a offensive coach his the HEAD COACH that LEADS FARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL Football TEAM.. Hopefully he take that words that was given to him in the past to consideration. Cause at the end of the day it all comes down to the kids and being a role model this coach needs to lead with a POSITIVE ATTITUDE!!!.
All I can say wish you all the BEST!..
Congratulations to Coach Sanchez. Wish you the best of luck in making Farrington football a powerhouse again in the OIA. stick to your principles and philosophy. As you are well aware of, there will be critics and skeptics. Just be true to yourself, the boys, the program, and the school. In the end that’s all that matters.
Yeah, good luck trying to win at Farrington when you get St Lulu recruiting your top players.
Congratulate and the best of luck to you Daniel. Just reach back to the lessons that was instilled in your past by what Coach Shippa always said. Bite the bullet and beware of those sideline COACH’S.
Oh well…guess the same plays as last season.
I’m a Kalihi-Kam IV Homes raised St. Louis Grad, from a family of 9 siblings, 6 are Farrington graduates and 3 attended St Louis, 2 grads one transferred to Moanalua. Al Espinda was coach when I was coming out of Dole Int. Big Al was a good man and coach, I believe Skippa Diaz was next and took Govs to first State Championship game vs St Louis, game won by Saints. Current AD Harold Tanaka also was head coach in late 1990s, solid coach. Randall Okimoto did a solid job for the Govs during his long tenure, no State Championship game opportunity hurts, but still attained on field and off field successes in my opinion. As an outsider looking closely at my neighborhood team over time the consensus from people in the Kalihi community has been – We have the Size, Talent, and toughness to WIN against the Kahuku’s and other OIA Powers, and here’s what I’ve heard – Govs lacked real Championship Coaching! Hopefully the Govs continue to be good representatives on the field, in the classroom and in the community! Hopefully the NEW Head Coach can return our Kalihi Govs to the Championship game and represent 👊🏾 Ring Ring Kalihi Ring.
Im very sad, Lance Samuseva should be the HC for Farrington.
A good Man of God, well Qualified FHS Alumni, played and Coached at the D1 college level (U.H. Jones), ILH DC(Imua. Maafala), Kalihi raised (Kam4), and has a plan & a system, in the best interest for our Kalihi childern and our Govs Ohana.
Unfortunately the Farrington Administration needs an in-house puppet (sorry) to be aligned with their continuous discriminating of our student-athletes and needs a “Yes-Man” to enforce the Govs Administration’s BIAS- Code of CHUMPions.
Just my opinion but our Govs should’ve stayed in the D1 and not participate in the Open League due to unforeseen safety issues. When our good players sit in games because of the Administration’s Code of CHUMPions, a contact that allows the discriminating of our football players, by holding them to an unreasonable standard to losing more than a non participating student. This is not equal punishment or equal discipline to a non football player. Our football team cannot compete every week with an elite teams. No more easy games to get by until the big games. Safety issue is concern every week now. Praying for our team.
Our school’s hiring of a Klueless in Kalihi Koach is an agenda for failure. The Farrington Administration with their Code of CHUMPions will hider any growth of our football program. Hiring of Samuseva would’ve help more with his knowledge and direct relationship with families and his networks in college. He can inspire our children and maybe help the Administration to be more realistic and fair adjust the Code of CHUMPions.
The Govs Administration requires and mandate the Head Football Coach and the staff to do their dirty work. The VPs and Counselors are too afraid, have no rapports with our (football) housing students and their parents. They choose to hide behind Coaches when they should do their job. Please communicate to us directly, we are able email, let us know what our childern are doing wrong. Its been a suprise roster every week last few years. They are quick to suspend our players, why our children cant play, but we just keep blaming Coach Okimoto. Is that’s why he stepped down?
We have an attendance recording system. Teacher say our children not in class, late to class, but they’re in class, too bad, not accurate and our football players are disciplined resulting in ineligibility to play in a game(s). Football players get in trouble, caused by non player regular student, double standard, our players get more discipline, cannot play lastminute before the game, how is this right? Code of CHUMPions says so, and we all signed it, locked into a discriminating contract.
The Farrington Administration believes Football Coaches (Teachers) should work for the school 24/7 because Administration cannot control our football players. Football should be held to the same consequences as regular non football students. Not hiring Samuseva because he’s not a teacher is a big mistake, he was never a candidate but a finalist just to go through the hiring process. Typical Hawaii, State, DOE hiring…this is not the best interest for our Kalihi childern and our football program.
We know although its a small percentage of total students, 45+ varsity and 45+ J players, our football team have the biggest influence in the student body. Our Administration believes when football season is over all the football players don’t go to school. This is not the example of the Code of CHUMPions. So they need a in house Coach to call them to go to school, call the parents, and discipline them, so do why have counselors, and VPs.
Farrington Administration need to be accountable and enforce the regular DOE rules first, they are creating unfair playing field for our future football generations. Players will transfer now because State will not back up DOE and school can’t enforce transfer rules now due to Kapolei basketball ruling. Go figure Govs.
At the end the question is, why go through all that bs hiring process knowing the school had their pick already. We don’t need a “Yes man” we need a Qualified Good Football Coach!!!
Do your job Govs Administration and hire a real Coach!!!!
Hard to take anything you say seriously when your name is “kalihi Mafia”.
It sounds like you have a legitimate case. Go through the channels and right the wrongs you have stated if there is merit to what you are alleging.
Sounds like there should be some accountability in the home first. The problems you stated needs a multi systematic approach, not only the right coach.
Btw, kinda uncool badmouthing someone who hasn’t done the job yet. I hope Danny succeeds and makes all the critics eat their words.
I heard sivaki Livai was a canidate for HC if he was that would have been a excellent choice also for the Govs he has Felt and Won Championships which is a plus plus in my eyes a if he put in a appication it showed he wanted to better a program regardless if he was previous HC at Kahuku which is the Govs nemesis shows no bias on he’s part and wants to share his knowledge with all oh ya he was also a math teacher if I recalled so it would’ve been great to have the players solve problems on and off the field lol just my opinion no disrespect to the new HC.:)
Siuaki Livai was a candidate he is proven State D1/Open Championship coach, also heard rumors of Vavae Tata throwing his name into the mix, now reading ex-Gov Lance Samuseva applied (UH, Kamehameha DC) Harold Tanaka hope your athletic department best of luck after turning away these aforementioned coaches. Kalihi kids gotta continue to work and grind like all other programs regardless of who their coach is, hopefully coach Sanchez can take Govs to next level! In Praise of Farrington 👊🏾
The problem is Farrington have the size and talent but lacked the skilled players therefore they have the same Offense every year. The players dont have pride and swag and doesnt believe in their team anymore. They just dont have the confidence to beat teams like (Mililani ,Kahuku ,Waianae etc.)
The community support is great but they surely need to change the culture. They need someone that has a championship pedigree, new life, new juice, someone that will recruit, or do what ever it takes to bring excitement back to Kalihi ( Livai, Tata, Samuseva, Noga Bros. Manly Williams, Miano, etc.) someone to bring excitement back, new logo, new saying, new motto…do something to bring the fire back to the players.
Best of luck to our football team, community spirit and pride is always evident in our neighborhood, we never give up and always look forward. Thanks Okimoto, for the great seasons you gave us, lets go Sanchez, time to play some GOVS FOOTBALL!!
I am a Farrington Graduate (73). I went to the Mililani vs Farrington game in Mililani to support my team. What I notice of Farrington, is that they do not have defense that can defend the West Coast, Run & Shut, and the Spread Offense for team like Mililani, St. Louis, and other team that runs these offence scheme. On the Offense side, Farrington has huge O-Line but they cannot protect the Quarterback. This is Sanchez first year as Head Coach and I know and hope they will get better in time. I predict for this year that Farrington will not go into the playoffs because they will not able beat Punahou, Carson Ca, Kamehameha, St. Louis, or Kahuku. They already lost to Mililani. Next year they might make it if the Offense and Defense does a better job. I hate to be negative, but GOV’s proof me wrong.