[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kaiser football coach David Maeva, a former all-WAC linebacker at UH, is learning what it takes to be a head coach.David Maeva and Sean Saturnio first met in the late 1980s, as dorm roommates trying to break into the lineup with the University of Hawaii football team.
Former UH star and new
Molokai short on funding
Kaiser coach David Maeva
is 1 of 6 coaches
making a debut this week
This weekend's schedule
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comMaeva and Saturnio will be nervous rookies again tomorrow night, this time as high school football coaches.
"I'm excited and nervous," said Maeva, an all-WAC linebacker for the Rainbows from 1987 to '90 and the new coach at Kaiser. "This is the first time I'm involved with a game, but physically I have no way of changing the outcome. So it's real different and it's scary in the sense that it's brand new, but it's exciting just to be back around football."
Maeva and Waipahu coach Saturnio are among six first-year coaches making their debuts this weekend as the high school football season opens with a full slate of non-league games.
Maeva takes Kaiser to face Mililani tomorrow, while Saturnio leads Waipahu against Moanalua.
Also walking the sidelines as head coaches for the first time tomorrow night will be Pearl City's Onosai Tanuvasa and Leilehua's Jake Kawamata.
Tanuvasa's Chargers host Roosevelt and Kawamata takes Leilehua to Kaneohe to play Castle.
Former Farrington running back Randall Okimoto also breaks into the coaching ranks Saturday as he leads his alma mater against Pac-Five in the second game of the Father Bray Classic tripleheader at Aloha Stadium.
In another highly anticipated debut on Saturday, nationally ranked St. Louis travels to Nanakuli with Delbert Tengan coaching his first game for the Crusaders.
Kapolei's Darren Hernandez isn't exactly a new coach after a successful run at Campbell and two years coaching the junior varsity at the OIA's newest school. But he will lead the Hurricanes into their first varsity football game tomorrow at Waianae.
"We only have sophomores and juniors, so going out to play a team like Waianae is a huge challenge," Hernandez said.
With their playing days behind them, Maeva and Saturnio are looking forward to beginning the next stage of their football careers tomorrow night.
"I get more of a thrill out of coaching than I did out of playing, which is hard to believe because I loved to play," Saturnio said. "I think it's because I'm older and I know what this game can do for these players."
Maeva, Saturnio and Castle defensive coordinator Tony Pang-Kee were either roommates or neighbors throughout their UH careers. The three drifted apart after college, but were reunited on the field last week when Kaiser, Waipahu and Castle took part in a three-way scrimmage.
"It's good to see how those guys are working their programs, and I want to try to do the same with my program," Maeva said. "I'm using them to look up to."
While Saturnio and Maeva shared living space in college, their UH playing careers had little in common. Maeva was a fan favorite and went on to play in the Canadian Football League. Saturnio struggled to scratch out any playing time with the Rainbows, but the walk-on receiver often impressed his roommates with his cerebral approach to the game.
"Sean was always very smart," Maeva said. "His grades and his study habits were always strong. I was the playful, lazy one."
Both said the butterflies started fluttering in their stomachs at the beginning of the week as they prepared their teams for their openers. But they know the nerves are just part of what coaching is all about.
"I think they'll always be there regardless of whether it's my first year or my 21st year," Saturnio said.
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Preseason schedule
Junior varsity games start at 5 p.m. Varsity games to follow unless otherwise noted.Leilehua at Castle Tomorrow
Kaiser at Mililani
Waipahu at Moanalua
Roosevelt at Pearl City
Kapolei at Waianae
Waimea vs. Hilo, at Wong Stadium, 7 p.m.
Scotts Valley (Calif.) vs. St. Anthony, at War Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.
King Kekaulike vs. Kapaa, at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
St. Louis at Nanakuli Saturday
Punahou at Aiea
Kalaheo vs. Campbell, at Mililani
Kailua at Hawaii Prep, 2 p.m.
Baldwin at Kamehameha, 7 p.m.
Waialua at Konawaena, 7 p.m.
Waiakea vs. Lahainaluna, at War Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.brP> McKinley at Kealakehe, 7:30 p.m.
Maui vs. Kauai, at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Father Bray Classic, at Aloha Stadium
Damien vs. Kaimuki, 2:30 p.m.
Pac-Five vs. Farrington, 5 p.m.
Iolani vs. Radford, 7:30 p.m.
