HHSAA president
Ramos stepping down

He has overseen several
changes during his 10 years

Anthony Ramos will be missed.

Ramos, who has only two months left as president of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association and Interscholastic League of Honolulu, oversaw many tumultuous changes during his 10-year tour of duty.

"He was there when the HHSAA was under the DOE through today and our non-profit status," HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya said after the organization's executive board meeting yesterday at Kamehameha Schools. "He had a stabilizing effect on the organization in that difficult transition."

Ramos was there when Dwight Toyama became the HHSAA executive director, the first after the organization separated from the DOE.

"We've been through a lot. But I've had an excellent staff to support me at Kamehameha, good people at the HHSAA office, good people at the ILH office," Ramos said. "Working with Dwight and my DOE colleagues and ILH colleagues, we've achieved a lot of good things."

After 18 months with the HHSAA, Toyama became chief of the Oahu Interscholastic Association and Hank Kibota stepped in for six months. Then came Amemiya.

"Keith's refreshing. Sometimes the educators think one way. Keith coming in as an attorney, was and is energetic," Ramos said. "He's been exciting to work with. I've seen him grow in the job. He's willing to listen and hear, and that goes both ways."

After 43 years at Kamehameha, including 28 as high school principal, Ramos retires in June. HHSAA bylaws require its president to be a high school principal.

Amemiya remembers many a phone call, day and night, with the veteran administrator to discuss HHSAA matters.

"People have to remember that the HHSAA went from full-funded to not funded in a time when the economy was really struggling," Amemiya said. "Tony's overseen growth in girls sports and state tournaments. He has the perfect temperament for the job, always even-keeled and fair-minded. Everyone could get a fair shake from Tony, no matter what league."

Ramos intends to stay busy in retirement with his grandchildren.

"I'll do volunteer work," he said. "And I'll help (the HHSAA and ILH) if they want me to be a consultant."

Even as a consultant, Ramos would be rewarded the same way he has been as HHSAA and ILH president. Neither is a paid position.

The next HHSAA president likely will not be announced until September.

Six or four is an issue in track and field: The HHSAA has already stood its ground regarding the maximum number of events permitted for an individual athlete in a meet. The HHSAA prefers the longtime norm of six events for an athlete.

However, the national federation's number is four. Part of that is because in most states, trials and finals are held on the same day. Locally, trials are held on Thursday, with finals on Saturday.

Both Big Island Interscholastic Federation president Gordon Bryson and Oahu Interscholastic Association executive director Dwight Toyama pointed out the differences at yesterday's meeting and noted that schools with smaller teams would be affected negatively.

Don Botelho, executive director of the ILH, recalled that Leilehua won the state title in the 1980s with a five-man team. A limitation of four events per individual would severely hamper a team's chance of accumulating points.

However, ILH meet officials prefer to fall in line with the national federation's policy. Because of their differing stance, they may not participate at the state meet and that could result in a shortage.

The HHSAA will continue studying this issue very closely, Amemiya said.

Pac-Five softball is in play: Due to dwindling turnouts for some of the softball programs in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, forming a Pac-Five team is a likelihood.

The state's league executive directors approved Pac-Five for eligibility in next season's state softball championships by a vote of 3-1, with one abstention.

The Maui Interscholastic League voted against the measure, while the Kauai Interscholastic League abstained.

Up until 2003, Pac-Five wasn't allowed to compete at state tournaments because it draws athletes from many schools.

Two years ago, the HHSAA executive board voted to allow some Pac-Five teams, including baseball and football, to compete for state titles for the first time.