2 former volleyball players sue Kamehameha Schools

Two former members of the 2004 boys Kamehameha Schools volleyball team and their parents filed suit against the school, their former coach and school officials yesterday, alleging the boys were given alcohol by volunteer coaches after losing in the state championship game on the Big Island.

The plaintiffs, Kinsley "Ikaika" Shelton and Ernest Vidinha III, say they suffered harm to their educational, athletic and employment opportunities and emotional distress after they were expelled from Kamehameha Schools for drinking.

According to the lawsuit, Shelton and Vidinha, along with two other members of the team, drank with volunteer assistant coaches in the coaches' hotel room and a nearby park. A few days later, according to the suit, the coach of the team met with the boys and their parents and said he would take responsibility for the incident and inform his supervisor.

The lawsuit claims the two other boys caught drinking were not expelled and were allowed to graduate. It also alleges the school was negligent in providing adequate supervision of the volleyball team.

Shelton was denied a Ke Ali'i Pauahi college scholarship because of he incident, the lawsuit said.

Michael Chun, the Kamehameha Schools president, denied an appeal of the boys' punishment and said the central issue was "whether or not these nonplayers were indeed volunteer coaches or alumni who came to support the team," according to the lawsuit.

Kekoa Paulsen, a spokesman for Kamehameha Schools, said the school has not seen the lawsuit and would respond in court.

"We're not going to be publicly discussing disciplinary actions that were taken two years ago," Paulsen said.