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SMALL COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

New UH-Hilo tennis
coaches: strikingly similar
backgrounds

Both are 25-years-old, neighbor island guys, elementary school teachers and embarking on their first collegiate coaching stints.

One is in charge of the men; the other the women.

They are Randy Kunimoto and Ryan Ideta, first-year coaches for the University of Hawaii-Hilo tennis program.

Taking over for former Vulcans coach Kula Oda -- who coached both the men and women -- Kunimoto and Ideta are both anxious to begin their coaching careers after successful ones as players at the high school and collegiate levels.

Kunimoto graduated from Hilo High School in 1993 after finishing fourth in singles in that year's state championship. He remained in town and went on to an accomplished career at UH-Hilo, finishing among the top 10 players for the Vulcans in the 1990s.

Ideta, from Lahaina, was a standout at Lahainaluna High School, winning the state singles championship in 1990 and his final year, 1992. After graduation, he went on to an outstanding career at Louisiana State University, finishing as the winningest doubles player and one of the top 10 winningest singles players in school history. Ideta has also enjoyed a successful professional career locally and has competed on the Japan satellite tour.

Kunimoto will be coaching the men and Ideta the women, though both plan to have an active role in the other's program.

"Randy wanted the men, so I decided to take the women because I'm fine either way," Ideta said. "I plan to work with both, though, to build our program."

"Even though we are separate technically, we're more like co-head coaches," Kunimoto added. "We want to help with both and earn the respect of all the players."

Both Kunimoto and Ideta are optimistic about the talent and potential of their teams, yet both are in no rush to see immediate results. They both consider their new positions as possible long-term projects. They also acknowledge the high-caliber competition in the Pacific West Conference and the rest of Division II, particularly from local rivals Brigham Young-Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific.

"We want to build a competitive and respectable program that is able to recruit quality kids, particularly the local ones," Kunimoto said. "We're not expecting a whole lot real soon, but the men are all talented, hard workers, willing to give 110 percent."

"The women are stronger than last year with a lot of potential to get better," Ideta added. "We're going to take it one year at a time."

Currently, both the Vulcan men and women are participating in a stricter, more difficult training regimen than they are accustomed to. The players are involved in a five-days-a-week training program and both coaches said they are impressed by their players' commitment. The Vulcans begin formal practices Nov. 6 with competition beginning in January.

HPU runners thriving

So far this year, an HPU cross-country runner from both the men and women's side has clearly outdistanced the competition.

Both the Sea Warriors' Christian Friis and Lisa Blomme have won each of the three Division II races they have entered. After a bye this weekend, both look to continue their winning streaks at the Hawaii Cross-Country Championships next Saturday at the HPU Windward campus. Runners from BYUH, Chaminade and UH-Hilo will also be competing.

Ribeiro Player of Week

BYUH middle blocker Karla Ribeiro was named PacWest Player of the Week on Tuesday. The 5-foot-11 junior from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hit .478 with 15 kills, three blocks, 10 digs, two assists and three aces in a straight-game victory over UH-Hilo last Friday. Her Seasiders are currently the No. 11 ranked team in the nation.

All four local schools -- BYUH, Chaminade, HPU and UH-Hilo -- are currently on the mainland for conference road games.

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Brandon Lee, Special to the Star-Bulletin