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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, July 28, 2009

HHSAA to address cuts in athletics


By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i High School Athletic Association executive director Keith Amemiya has scheduled a press conference for this morning to make an announcement addressing the recent cuts to public school athletic programs.

Amemiya deferred comment about specific details until the press conference.

The latest figures released by the O'ahu Interscholastic Association last week revealed an overall 36.35 percent cut to public schools' athletic budgets for the 2009-2010 school year. That includes a 57.2 percent cut in money for supplies and equipment and 55.62 percent cut in transportation funds.

It also includes a 29.6 percent cut in coaches' stipends, meaning each school has made plans to eliminate more than a dozen assistant coach positions. To save on transportation costs, some OIA athletic directors have announced that athletes will need to rely on their own transportation for preseason games and Saturday games in the regular season.

OIA athletic directors held an emergency meeting last Friday to address the cuts, with most saying they will try not to drop any sports.