Keopuhiwa resigns as Pearl City coach
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Pearl City High boys soccer coach Scott Keopuhiwa, a two-time O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division Coach of the Year, has resigned.
Citing other obligations as one of the biggest factors, Keopuhiwa said he sent his letter of resignation to athletic director Roy Ichinose last month.
KEOPUHIWA
"Since I started there five years ago my work commitments have changed," said Keopuhiwa, who led the Chargers to the OIA championship in 2001. "I don't have the flexibility in my work schedule."
Keopuhiwa, the OIA West Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2003, is also the president of the Hawai'i Youth Soccer Association (HYSA), Hawai'i's most competitive youth soccer league. He is also a coach for the Leahi Soccer Club.
"My commitments to club (coaching) and HYSA interfered with my ability to devote enough time to the high school program," he said.
Ichinose said Keopuhiwa "turned our program around in the sense of player discipline. They developed a highly competitive team. I appreciate what he's done. He's done wonders for our students."
Keopuhiwa said he struggled with the structure of the OIA.
"It's tough to coach in the OIA because there are so many burdens put on the coaches: administratively, logistically," he said. "You are worried about so many other things you don't have enough time to actually coach the kids."
Keopuhiwa's record at Pearl City was 49-20-2, but that includes a 2-7 record in 2002 when Pearl City had to forfeit seven games for using an ineligible player, for "something to do with grades," Ichinose told the Advertiser in 2002.
Despite his success at the high school level, Keopuhiwa said he has no plans to coach at that level in the immediate future.
"I didn't leave to go somewhere else," he said.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
