Coach files assault charge

Castle athletic director Richard Haru confirmed yesterday that a second-degree assault charge had been pressed against the father of one of the school's football players.

The parent allegedly went after a Castle assistant coach after the Knights' loss to Aiea last Friday in an OIA playoff game.

"It was after the game, after the handshakes. Aiea was on their bus," Haru said.

It was an unfortunate end to the season for a Castle program that endured the tragic death of lineman Patrick Kapahu.

The player's father, who has not been identified publicly, allegedly assaulted the coach because of a lack of playing time for his son.

"They sacrifice a whole lot and they have to deal with this," Haru said. "No coach deserves it."

Queen of compliance:

Sullivan, director of Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance, doesn't charge a cent for her services. Carefully checking the grades and test scores of student-athletes who enlist her aid, she has placed everyone from air rifle shooters to football players in programs from Division I to NAIA Division II.

The "queen of compliance" -- a nickname she earned shortly after she moved to Hawaii from Maryland several years ago, got some great news recently when the NCAA informed her that the annual PIAA/Scout.com Football Combine would not have to change a thing. A new rule that took effect on August 1 put some sharper definitions on which combines college coaches are allowed to attend.

"I was getting all kinds of different answers from different (college) coaches and different compliance officers," said Sullivan, who began the combine with invaluable help from former Saint Louis player and coach Darnell Arceneaux, plus an army of volunteer coaches from around the state.

The NCAA informed Sullivan that the PIAA combine, which is coupled with a day of workshops taught by college coaches, could host those coaches. The difference now is that the coaches are not permitted to buy or accept videotape from PIAA.

Coaches are still allowed to receive videotape from high school players, however.

One of the byproducts of the new rule is that an entity like Nike can no longer host a combine on a college campus while still hosting college coaches. Nike can host a combine at a high school facility, but few can withstand the size of a combine that has 800 to 1,000 players.

Sullivan won't have to worry about that. The PIAA combine, held each May at Saint Louis, draws the top seniors-to-be in the state -- and even some from the South Pacific -- but doesn't have anywhere close to 800 players.