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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Study says community college sports could aid UH

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

A study commissioned by the University of Hawai'i says a community college sports program would be "a win-win for all involved," and cites several sports that should be considered.

The study is designed to serve as a "very preliminary road map and planning guide," said Paul Costello, UH vice president for external affairs. Costello said UH President Evan Dobelle, "is very passionate about this and believes it can add a whole new and wider dimension to sports within the UH system."

The study recommends consideration of five men's sports (baseball, football, basketball, soccer and volleyball) and seven for women, (basketball, canoe paddling, golf, softball, soccer, track and volleyball) though not every campus would participate in every sport, the study says.

While the study concludes an athletic program would be "financially viable," it does not say how it would be funded.

The two-page study was compiled by George Rush, the athletic director at City College of San Francisco. Dobelle is a past president of CCSF.

Rush, who received $5,000 for the study, visited six of the seven UH community colleges in March.

"The opportunity to attract and retain a large portion of the high school population, which has traditionally not attended institutions of higher learning, was again universally recognized as the most important component of this proposition," the study said.

In addition, UH officials and coaches have been intrigued by the idea of having community college teams as a training ground for Manoa and Hilo.

Herman Frazier, UH athletic director, said, "If it is a feeder system, it would help our programs (but) whatever we can do to further young people and education, to help more people toward degrees, is wonderful."

Costello said the study was "the first step in a two-year process. It is something we want to take a serious look at."