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Just For Kicks
Al Chase
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Doyle to keep busy despite retirement
Frank Doyle's retirement as head men's soccer coach at Hawaii Pacific is not the end of his involvement in the sport here.
"I still have my ladies club, Aiola, in the over-40 bracket of WISA. We just finished the third Mayor's Gold Cup in January for men's teams over 50 and have the tournament (Hawaii Classics Cup) in August," Doyle said. "I've still got plenty to do."
At HPU he guided the Sea Warriors as an NAIA team, a club team and finally an NCAA Division II team. HPU was 18-2-1 in his first season and in 1998 the Sea Warriors had the 12th best defense at the NCAA II level.
"It was a wonderful ride. What school would give you scholarships when you weren't NAIA or NCAA. That was terrific," Doyle said of HPU's decision to provide 50 percent tuition waivers to the men's and women's teams when they had club status for four seasons.
"It wouldn't have been possible either without two great assistants in Pepe Balina and Scott Liedtke," he said.
As chief of refuse in the Department of Environmental Services for the City and County of Honolulu, Doyle was aware of the expanse of unused land next to the Waipahu incinerator.
He showed other soccer enthusiasts -- Jack Sullivan, Sergio Bolioli, Erich Budar and Manny Menendez (then the executive director of the city's Office of Economic Development) -- the open space that eventually became the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park.
"The city cut a deal with the Navy and there we are. Jack knows how to push the right buttons. He is an inspiration," said Doyle, modest about his role in getting the well-used complex built.
During his 30-something years in soccer here, he has coached Hawaii's Irish Soccer Club (1986-89), Kapiolani Community College (1987-90) and Makule Red (1983-1996). He also served as head coach and general manager of the Hawaii Tsunami during its first year of professional play in 1994.
He is a past commissioner of the Hawaii Youth Soccer Organization and served as president of the Honolulu Bulls Soccer Club.
Doyle still plays for the Strikers in the Men's Island Soccer Organization's over-45 division.
In college news:
» Max Bowman (Honokaa '04), a junior midfielder, and brother Eli Bowman (Honokaa '06), a freshman midfielder, played important roles for the Redlands Bulldogs, who won their sixth consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.
Max contributed a team-high seven assists. He also scored one goal for the NCAA Division III team.
Eli came off the bench in 21 matches for the 20-2 Bulldogs, scored four goals on just five shots and added one assist. He was tied for fifth in scoring with nine points.