Baldwin coach fired

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Boys soccer coach Fred Guzman yesterday was banned from coaching in the Maui Interscholastic League for five years and fired by Baldwin High School.

MIL principals unanimously voted to place the same sanctions on Baldwin as the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association did on April 10 — one-year "conduct probation" for the boys soccer team and a five-year ban on Guzman.

Baldwin principal Stephen Yamada then announced that Baldwin had already decided not to renew Guzman's annual contract for his 13th year. The Advertiser learned Guzman had been informed last weekend that if he did not resign before yesterday's quarterly meeting of MIL principals, he would be fired.

The actions stem from an incident at the end of Pearl City's 4-3 upset of previously unbeaten Baldwin in the state tournament on O'ahu Feb. 13. After referee Kaleo Benz blew his whistle to end the game, a Baldwin player raced up behind Benz and blocked him to the ground.

Baldwin forfeited its next game, eliminating the Bears from the tournament.

Since then, the player was kicked out of Baldwin, but has been attending classes while he appeals to the Department of Education.

Guzman said earlier this week that the harsh penalty against him was not justified and that he would appeal. However, he would be appealing to the same panels that banned him.

"The MIL Executive board felt that it had to send a strong message that any attack on an official will not be tolerated," a statement from MIL executive secretary Steve Kim said. "The coach is responsible for the conduct and discipline of his players."

The MIL denied a request by a group of Baldwin parents to defer action and denied a request by Guzman to appear at the closed meeting yesterday at Kamehameha-Maui in Pukalani.