UH-Hilo's Peterson retires as a winner

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

More than the 511 wins, seven national championships and 42 All-America honors her players received, outgoing University of Hawai'i-Hilo coach Sharon Peterson will best be remembered for her influence on Hawai'i volleyball.

PETERSON

As the only intercollegiate volleyball coach UH-Hilo has ever had, Peterson led the Vulcans to seven national championships and three national runner-up finishes. A five-time National Coach of the Year, she compiled a 511-251 record, averaging more than 20 wins a season.

Some of Peterson's players are now following in her coaching footsteps, including Tanya Fuamatu, a former national Player of the Year (1993), who now holds an assistant coaching position at Chaminade, and NAIA Hall of Famers Carla Carpenter-Kabalis (1989) and Glennie Adams (1990), who coach at Hilo High and Chaminade, respectively.

"You don't measure success in wins or losses, but the people you have touched along the way," said Adams, who played under Peterson in 1978-80 and '82. "God knows she's touched so many young people. That's the measure of her success. She helped mold good people. All my teammates, we're honorable and good people. We owe a lot to her."

"I really feel blessed," Peterson said. "I'm happy to know that I have touched their lives because they have certainly touched mine. As they grew, I grew."

Peterson said she wanted to spend more time with her husband Greg Mooers, and explore volunteer or hospital work, as some reasons for her retirement.

UH-Hilo athletic director Kathleen McNally said no replacement for Peterson has been named. Peterson also served as the department's senior woman administrator. McNally said she would like to hire a replacement by mid-February. The position has a salary range of $34,032 to $51,036.

Players and opposing coaches yesterday said they were surprised to hear the news of Peterson's retirement, which was kept secret until she notified her players.

Hawai'i's Division II coaches, who competed against Peterson's teams in the Pacific West Conference, credited Peterson for her knack to churn out national championships.

"She definitely set the standard for championships," said Brigham Young-Hawai'i coach Wilfred Navalta, whose Seasiders are competing today at the national tournament in Canyon, Texas. "Sharon had the ability to coach, to recruit, and she was a great tactician on the court. She got a lot out of her players.

"The bottom line is winning national titles," Navalta continued. "I definitely looked up to Sharon for her ability to win national titles."

HPU coach Tita Ahuna agreed with Navalta, saying Peterson's teams in the late '70s and '80s dominated nationally.

"Seven titles?" Ahuna said. "That's outstanding. Look at the types of athletes that came out of her program. Outstanding. They're still contributing to volleyball today. You can see how much of an impact Sharon has made on them."

McNally said Peterson left "a real stable team" with a solid core of players and some left-over budget money.

"The quality of girls are definitely there, athletically and academically," McNally said. "Sharon's really leaving everything well prepared."

Peterson said the new coach can count on the six juniors who will return next year.

"They don't have to have somebody pushing them or motivating them," Peterson said. "They're ready. That makes this a great time to step away."

Peterson said had she stayed on one more year, it would be difficult for the incoming coach to replace six seniors.

Navalta said Peterson's retirement provides an opportunity for another coach to build the UH-Hilo program, and also the Big Island prep landscape.

"The next person going in will have an impact on the development of high school volleyball on the Big Island," Navalta said. "There's some good things happening with St. Joseph coming in second in the state tournament. There's some nice talent over there."

Peterson, who started her volleyball playing career on the beaches of Southern California, represented the U.S. in two Olympic Games, two Pan American Games and the World Games.

She was selected National Player of the Year by the USVBA in 1969 and earned five other All-American honors. She played professionally in the International Volleyball Association and was named all-pro in 1975. She served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the World University Games in 1985, a team that included HPU's Ahuna.

"She was a great motivational speaker," Ahuna said. "She knew the right words to say to get you ready to compete. She's a great coach and great person to motivate you."

Peterson was inducted into the El Camino Junior College Athletic Hall of Fame, California State University at Long Beach Athletic Hall of Fame, and NAIA Hall of Fame. In 1999, she was awarded the Flo Hyman award as an All-Time Great Player by USA Volleyball.

Peterson began her coaching career at Punahou School and then coached at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy in Kamuela. Her UH-Hilo career started in 1978 with the first women's intercollegiate team fielded by the Vulcans. In 1984, she accepted a coaching job at the University of Kentucky but later turned down the lucrative offer to stay at UH-Hilo.

"This is her time," Chaminade's Adams said. "She deserves to enjoy retirement. She's done a job nobody else could have done. I know I'll be forever indebted to her."