Doris Sullivan, director of the popular Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance scholarship assistance program that has helped hundreds of Hawai'i high school athletes find places to play in college, said yesterday financial struggles threaten to shut down the program by the end of the school year.

According to Sullivan, PIAA and its predecessor have assisted more than 800 Hawai'i athletes secure more than $10 million in college scholarships over the past eight years. In addition to correspondence with college coaches, the program has provided SAT workshops and a "combine" to help high school football players record official 40-yard dash times and weight lifting marks to report to colleges.

Per NCAA rules, PIAA does not charge a fee to the athletes or their parents for its services. Sullivan said she has relied mostly on public donations and her own personal funds to pay for operating costs, which include transportation and long distance phone expenses.

Insurance for the combine cost close to $1,200, Sullivan said, and a recent phone bill was $900.

"There's a lot of little things," she said, "but it all adds up."

In January, Sullivan attended the American Football Coaches Association convention in Anaheim, Calif., where she distributed 3,500 DVDs of Hawai'i players to coaches at all levels.

She said the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl has donated $6,000, and she has received donations from Koga Engineering, Global Consulting and local businessman Duane Kurisu, whose Hawai'i Sports Network was the starting point for Sullivan's program.

But other requests for donations have been denied.

"Some people are wary because they see this as something the kids can do themselves," said Sullivan, who applied for 501(c)(3) non-profit status for PIAA but is awaiting final approval. "But we have a free database for the coaches, I send a (player) profile to 300 colleges, we do the SAT workshops, the combine ... it's good for the community."

Sullivan said she first got the idea for her program when she attended a youth track meet.

"I thought, 'We see so many good athletes here, but how many end up in college?' " she said. "We had a few, but I thought there should be 3-4-5 times as many."

NANAKULI FORFEITS REST OF OIA BASEBALL GAMES

Nanakuli will forfeit the rest of its O'ahu Interscholastic Association baseball games due to a lack of eligible players, according to head coach Joshua DeFreitas.

OIA baseball coordinator Glenn Nitta confirmed the forfeits yesterday.

MARYKNOLL LOOKING TO HIRE BASKETBALL COACH

Maryknoll School is seeking a boys varsity basketball head coach and coordinator.

Resumes can be mailed to the Maryknoll School Athletic Department, 1526 Alexander Street, Honolulu, 96822. Resumes can also be faxed to 952-7371 or sent to athletics@maryknollschool.org. Include boys basketball in the subject line of the e-mail.

Read Wes' blog on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.