HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Buffanblu’s Rigg retires as girls volleyball coach
The fire began to diminish this year for Scott Rigg.
The longtime Punahou School volleyball coach sensed it at midseason. It was a year when his defending girls state champions fell short of a state tournament berth.
By this week, Rigg decided to retire.
"I don't want to put a negative tone on it by any means," Rigg said yesterday. "There are things at this point that I'm looking at, a different chapter here.
"I've had my run, and I feel badly for the kids. I don't know how they're responding to it, but it's something I need to do."
With Rigg in charge, Punahou won five boys state crowns and two girls state titles. Next year's team will feature returnees Liz Kaaihue and Larissa Nordyke as powerful outside hitters. Sydney Yogi, one of the state's top defensive specialists, will also be back.
"Overall, I feel like it's a good place," he said. "Someone who spends year-round with the game should be doing it. That's important, and that's not me, right now.
"I hope there's a smooth transition. I've turned it into a year-round thing, the camps, offseason training in April. I hope whoever takes it over will keep it going. I feel it's healthy and a good time for me to move on."
Rigg's state title team last year included daughter Spenser, now at Barry University.
"She had a helluva year at Barry and I didn't see her once," he said.
Spenser led her team in digs and was named conference player of the week, and twice was picked defensive player of the week.
Rigg will also devote much more time to teaching.
"I'm teaching sixth grade now, which is new, and I'd like to focus in a little more with that. There's a lot more professional development stuff to do," he said.
He would like to see assistant coach Randy Nako considered for the job.
"Randy will be in the mix, and Punahou will keep it open to see what the interest is," Rigg said, referring to athletic director Tom Holden. "Tom's running names by me, but it's his decision."
After nine seasons as a head coach, Rigg has no regrets.
"You have to be passionate about it, and that's the bottom line," he said. "I have other things that I'd like to be passionate about."