Veteran UH basketball coach Goo to retire
By Brandon Masuoka and Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writers
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| Vince Goo tells reporters: "I won't be getting up at 4:30 in the morning anymore — unless it is for an early tee time."
Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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| Vince Goo is retiring at the end of the season, but a former player says, "I know Vince is the kind of guy that will still be on the sidelines assisting when he can." |
Vince Goo file Born: Honolulu, Jan. 15, 1947 Education: Southern Oregon State B.S., Health & Physical Education, 1969 Collegiate Coaching Experience: Hawai'i head coach, 1987-present. Hawai'i assistant coach, 1984-87. National & International Experience: Assistant coach, World University Games, 1993. Head coach, East Team, U.S. Olympic Sports Festival, 1991. Coaching honors: 1998 WAC Pacific Division Coach of the Year; 1994 Big West Coach of the Year; 1993 Big West Coach of the Year; 1989 Big West Coach of the Year. Family: Wife, Gay; children, Cappy, Kippy, Casey and Kimi. Highlights • Program's all-time winningest coach with a record of 331-162. |
Yesterday, the winningest basketball coach in University of Hawai'i history took one himself, announcing that he would step away from the program and retire at the end of this season.
"It was kind of like a gut feeling," Goo said. "When I first started, I just wanted to leave this program better off than it was when I came in. Hopefully, I did that."
Goo, 57, is in his 20th season with the Wahine, and 17th as head coach. With six regular-season games plus next month's Western Athletic Conference Tournament remaining, Goo has a 331-162 record.
Yesterday, in a show of solidarity, all 14 of the Rainbow Wahine — including two redshirts — said they would return next season despite Goo's retirement. Only senior April Atuaia will exhaust her eligibility.
"The program has a tradition," junior guard Milia Macfarlane said. "That's what I came here for."
Yesterday's announcement came during a rare losing season for Goo, whose team is 5-16 (3-9 WAC) and plays Boise State tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.
It will be only the third losing season in a tenure that includes 11 20-win seasons, 10 postseason appearances and four coach-of-the-year awards. He has also coached three All-Americans and 21 all-conference players.
Goo's most remarkable achievement, however, has been the program's graduation rate. Forty-one of the 44 players who have concluded their eligibility in his tenure have received their degrees. The three who haven't are on schedule to graduate shortly, Goo said.
Their achievement is recognized on his office walls, where photographs hang of all the Rainbows who have graduated.
"We all graduated, that we made sure of," said former player and UH assistant coach Dana Takahara-Dias. "We didn't want to be the first one not to be on his wall."
Goo said he contemplated retirement after last year's 16-14 finish but with seven freshmen coming in, chose to stay another year.
He said he made his decision "this past weekend" and informed athletic director Herman Frazier Monday.
"Yeah, it's definite," Goo said. "I went home and talked with my wife (Gay) when we got back from the road trip. She agreed that she would put up with me at home for a little bit. She said if I do my chores, I can come to practice for the next three weeks."
Goo said he chose to announce his retirement this week so his players and coaches could plan for the future. He also said the announcement would give the administration ample time to find the "best possible candidate to move this program ahead."
Goo said he informed his players Monday. The next day, the Rainbow Wahine had one of their best practices, he said.
"It's very sad," UH junior forward Jade Abele said. "Coming to school and not seeing Vince is going to be a very difficult thing. I respect his decision, and I know he's been here a long time, but I was kind of hoping for one more year ... so he could see me through."
Frazier said he talked with Goo about the possibility of signing a multi-year contract after last season, but Goo declined.
"At that point in time, he said, 'Herman, I only want to go year by year, because if I get to the point where I don't think it's any fun anymore, then I would like to walk away from it,' " Frazier said. "He's had a great career. He's done a good job within the community. This is a loss for us."
Frazier said he wanted a selection committee organized within the next 30 days and hoped that the new coach could be hired by "at least July," when basketball coaches are evaluated.
The signing date for recruits is April 14, but Frazier said the program has only one scholarship available, "so having somebody by the signing date is not all that important to us right now."
Frazier said the new coach will be hired after he receives input from a cross-section of the community, one that includes advice from the team, a coaching representative, the academic and athletic administration, and booster clubs. Frazier said he did not have an immediate salary range for the position.
Frazier said assistant coaches Da Houl, Serenda Valdez and Gavin Petersen would be given an opportunity to succeed Goo when the job becomes open after the season.
"They haven't expressed that they wanted to do it," Frazier said. "We'll sit down and talk to them and see how they feel about it."
George Wolfe, a former UH assistant under Goo and present head coach at Portland State, has said, "I can't imagine Wahine basketball without Vince."
"It won't be the same coming to the Islands without Vince," said Rhonda Rompola, head coach of Southern Methodist for the past 12 years. "And, I don't think we ever beat him there. He's a class act."
Added Takahara-Dias: "It's a huge loss only because he's a proven winner. He's dedicated himself. He's gotten good people in his program. I think it's really big shoes to fill, but regardless, I know Vince is the kind of guy that will still be on the sidelines assisting when he can. I think he'll still be active in Wahine basketball but perhaps from a different seat from the Stan Sheriff Center."
Former player Fran Villarmia-Kahawai said Goo cared for his players on and off the court. On road trips, Goo would always make sure they were well fed, she said.
"He has a big heart," Villarmia-Kahawai said. "When we used to go on the road, he knew that the local girls were not used to eating all the Mainland food. So he made sure to take us to a sushi bar, or a Korean restaurant, some place with rice or teriyaki chicken. We had enough of the meat and potatoes."
Goo, an avid golfer, said he "isn't sure what I'll do now but I'll tell you one thing I won't do. I won't be getting up at 4:30 in the morning any more — unless it is for an early tee time."
Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458, and Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.
