Onosai to succeed
Botelho at Pac-Five

The former UH football player
is the Wolfpack's next head coach

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By Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.com

Joe Onosai is the new Pac-Five football coach, athletic director John Hom said yesterday.

Onosai takes over for Don Botelho, who was the Wolfpack coach from 1974 until he stepped down last month to become the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's executive director.

Onosai, who was an assistant under Botelho, played football for Pac-Five and the University of Hawaii before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

"We've watched Joe grow up through the program," Hom said. "He's already well known throughout the community, and not only through football."

Onosai is also an associate pastor at Word of Life Christian Center.

"He's not only a good coach, but a great moral role model," Hom added.

"And he's excited, just champing at the bit (to start his new role)."

Hom said Onosai plans to keep the same staff that worked under Botelho. Chris Bisho, Kip Botelho (Don's son) and Mike Ajifu are among the returning coaches.

"Joe's a great choice," Don Botelho said. "He's part of the Pac-Five family. He played for the Pack, coached for the Pack and he's played football at all levels. He knows football and he's well organized and an outstanding motivator. I can't think of a better choice."

Onosai is known around Hawaii for his Men of War Ministry. He and a crew of ex-convicts, former gang leaders, police officers and former drug dealers tour Hawaii high schools and give motivational speeches about being solid citizens and perform feats of strength, such as breaking bricks and bending steel bars.

After his standout career as an offensive lineman at UH from 1983 to '86, Onosai suffered a neck injury that kept him from establishing himself as an NFL player. But he recovered and placed fourth in a World's Strongest Man Competition.

Pac-Five went 2-5 in the ILH the last two seasons.

Onosai was a member of Pac-Five's Prep Bowl championship team in 1982. He was the Star-Bulletin's choice as player of the year that season as a blocking back.

Beyond this coming season, the future of the Pac-Five program in its current form is uncertain.

Mid-Pacific Institute, one of the smaller ILH schools whose athletes play Pac-Five football, is in the process of applying to the ILH for an intermediate football team for next season, according to Owls athletic director Bill Villa.

The league will likely consider the application at its next principals meeting in May.

"Depending on the numbers, we may be interested in applying for varsity football in a year or two," Villa said.

If Mid-Pacific does eventually form a varsity team, the league would have to decide if players from other smaller schools would continue to play for Pac-Five or join under the Mid-Pacific program instead.

"Either way, we want to assure they have a place to play," Villa said.

Mid-Pacific conducted a survey that showed enough students were interested in football to justify starting an intermediate program.

"The administration believes that having our own football team would enhance school spirit and pride," Villa said.