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Keeping Score
INTEGRITY appears to have become a casualty in the battle of everyday life. Too often lately, responsibility and accountability for one's own actions have been lost in the name of winning. Decision on Knights’
player is rightUnfortunately, what makes the headlines and grabs the attention of videocams are the outrageous actions of those who wear athletic uniforms. Often overlooked are the quiet actions of those who we should be calling heroes.
One such gentleman is Ken Watanabe. The Castle High athletic director made a decision last week that cost his boys' soccer team a shot at the state title.
The Knights had defeated Baldwin, 3-1, in the opening round of the state tournament and advanced to the championship quarterfinals. A day later, Watanabe reported to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association that Castle, the OIA runner-up, unknowingly had used a player who had forged a grade check in order to compete.
It would have been very easy for Watanabe to have looked the other way. Very likely no one would have known if there had been no self-reporting of the infraction.
Why penalize an entire team for the poor judgement of one member? Because it was the right thing to do.
Coach Mike Tsai and Watanabe are to be commended for making a tough decision.
Not all champions are decided by the scoreboard.
T HE most difficult part about accepting the job as sports editor a few weeks ago was giving up the day-to-day contact with the athletes and coaches who make up Hawaii's sports tapestry.
I've been blessed in the past 18-plus years with being able to write about special people and their outstanding achievements.
It was ironic that my volleyball beat writing career with the Star-Bulletin began with a 1981 match at a soldout Blaisdell Arena between the Wahine and UCLA. It closed two weeks ago with the Rainbows taking on the Bruins for the Outrigger Invitational championship.
Sandwiched in between have been many memorable matches, three NCAA titles and too many nights stuck to a bleacher in Klum Gym.
I'll miss not being at the Stan Sheriff Center tonight for the Long Beach State match. I know how Ray Ratelle feels as he makes his farewell tour in his 19th and final season as the 49ers' head coach.
Ratelle was my high school volleyball coach ... for two days. That's how long I lasted my senior year, his first as the girls' volleyball coach at the University of San Diego High School.
It took two practices for me to decide I'd concentrate on just playing basketball.
Somehow, volleyball found me again, this time as a writer. I can only hope I treated the sport as well as it has treated me.
LIFE is full of comings and goings.
The sports department welcomed back a familiar byline this past week when Dave Reardon rejoined the staff after 18 months at the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun.
Sadly, we say goodbye to Paul Carvalho, who has taken another job after some 22 years with the Star-Bulletin.
Carvalho's byline last appeared as the UH football beat writer. His fingerprints have been on the section as an assistant sports editor and the sports editor since 1987.
If the department continues to follow his example of journalistic excellence, you, the reader, won't notice his departure. Our staff, however, will miss the calm, quiet influence and direction of a quality newspaperman and friend.
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.
