Drew Fernandez knows all about living under a Big Island Interscholastic Federation coaching legend’s shadow.
Drew Fernandez knows all about living under a Big Island Interscholastic Federation coaching legend’s shadow.
No matter where he goes, once someone discovers his last name, two obvious questions always follow: Are you Don’s boy? Why aren’t you coaching basketball?
Out in Kapaau, Don Fernandez, the venerable Kohala boys basketball coach, is like Norm from the TV series Cheers. Everybody knows his name.
All the Cowboys hoops fans know that he always wears his beloved Chuck Taylor shoes at games.
His son Drew Fernandez, a 2005 Kohala graduate, is the first-year coach for the undefeated Hilo girls volleyball team, and a lot of people recognize that well-known surname.
Drew doesn’t own a pair of Chuck Taylor shoes. If he purchased a pair and wore it at volleyball games, maybe that would stop all the “Are you Don’s boy?” questions.
Then again, the Hilo High teacher would probably still get stopped anywhere he goes, like in a grocery store, because he’s basically a younger-looking version of his dad.
Drew’s joke is that at 50 years old, he won’t have to look in a mirror because he’ll already resemble his dad.
Of course, all the old-timers remember his grandpa, Galo Fernandez, a longtime coaching icon and Big Island Hall of Fame member.
“It’s so funny because we played out at Ka‘u last week, and one of the fans came up to me and said, ‘Are you Don’s boy?’ Strangers walk up to me at KTA and ask the same thing,” Drew Fernandez said. “I’ll say, ‘Yes. Don is my father.’ When I call him up and tell him about it, he just laughs.”
Contrary to popular belief, Don and Deidre “Deedee” Fernandez’ children – Darcee, Dione, Drew and Kona – didn’t dribble a basketball 24 hours a day. They all played volleyball and basketball at Kohala.
“My mom and dad are Kohala graduates and played both basketball and volleyball,” Drew said. “My mom played volleyball in Canada for a half-year as an exchange student.”
Fernandez is not the only well-known name for the Vikings, who received a major boost in ball-handling with the transfer of Ha‘a Kalauli from Nanakuli on Oahu.
The 5-foot-5 senior defender/outside hitter is a cousin of former Viking standout brothers Kalaipono and Kaulana Kalauli-Rowe. They’re the grandsons of the late volleyball legend Raymond Rowe.
Their dad is Brian “Bana” Kalauli, a longtime BIIF volleyball official, so no matter where the former Golden Hawk goes she’ll be surrounded by family.
“Ha‘a brings a good thing, having the experience of playing on Oahu,” Fernandez said. “It’s a different game over there, and we’re learning from her. She has a humbleness, and an intensity to be up on every play, and push every single point.
“She’s quiet, yet she’s powerful and does the job she needs to do. She has the ability to play anywhere, and obviously she has great bloodlines.”
While Kalauli will be around for only a season, Hilo has a nice building block in 5-7 freshman outside hitter Kawai Ua, who attends Ka Umeke Kaeo, a Hawaiian language immersion school.
“She’s got an all-around game, but you can see certain parts where she’s young,” Fernandez said. “But she’s one of our top offensive players, and she has a heavy arm swing.”
Veteran Viks
A trio of returning senior starters – right-side hitters/setters Taylor Alicuben and Raevyn Kaupu and middle blocker Shavonne DeMattos – provide experience and stability.
Hilo has been to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I state tournament the last three years as the league’s runner-up, so the trio is well-versed in big-stage games.
Last season, the Vikings were spearheaded by a different trio: outside hitters Amanda Loeffler and Evalani Toledo and libero Angel Alameda. They’re all playing junior college ball now: Loeffler at Pacific Union, and Toledo and Alameda at Eastern Arizona.
All three landed on the All-BIIF first team last year. Alicuben, Kaupu and DeMattos received honorable mention. It’s their turn to shine, and lead the team, which should be in a dogfight with Kealakehe and Waiakea for the league’s second spot to states.
Four-time defending BIIF champion Kamehameha is the undisputed title favorite. With three USA Volleyball A1 players – Kaiulani Ahuna, Zoe Leonard and Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker – it’s the most talented roster in school history.
In a major showdown of unbeatens, Kamehameha hosts Hilo at about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at Koaia Gym.
Kealakehe last qualified for states in 2003, and Waiakea’s last trip was in 2010, when setter Ashia Joseph (now at Cal-State East Bay) ran the show.
There’s another motivational carrot for Hilo’s senior trio: playing at the next level.
Hilo’s assistant coaches are Juju Baldogo, Kuuipo Hayes, Makena Nahooikaika, and Ginelle Palau, a former UH-Hilo standout. Hayes, Nahooikaika and Fernandez all played college ball.
“They want to play at the next level,” Fernandez said of his senior trio. “We know what it takes to get there. That’s why we push them so hard.”
Kyra Kaloi, a returning junior middle, and Keola Katayama, a 5-8 junior outside hitter, who was promoted from the junior varsity, round out the lineup.
Alexis Pana, a 5-9 junior and volleyball rookie, took time out from her duties as Hilo’s point guard on the basketball team to offer the front row a bit of depth. She can spell DeMattos or Kaloi, and offer a helpful block with her height and jumping ability.
“We lost two big hitters from last year (Loeffler and Toledo), but it’s really good because the other girls have to step up,” Fernandez said. “I’m looking for Taylor to fill a big role. A lot of the girls look up to her. She’s the leader of the team. She’s quiet, but she knows how to help the team, where to place balls, where to hit balls.”
Coaching legend
Don Fernandez started coaching the Kohala girls in 1999, and took over as the boys coach in 2004. He’s still going strong.
Kona Fernandez, a 2006 Kohala graduate, is an assistant coach for the Cowboys, who have become a Division II dynasty in the league. Maybe one day he takes over, and follows in his dad’s footsteps.
Kohala has won BIIF Division II championships in 2007, ’08, ’09 and ’14, and finished as the runner-up in 2012, and the formula throughout the years has always been the same.
Every season, Don Fernandez takes athletic and sometimes raw homegrown talent, and preaches teamwork, hard work and Cowboy basketball pride – playing not just for the team or school, but the small-town community as well.
It’s a reason that of all the BIIF schools Kohala carries the reputation as the most loyal, supportive and vocal fan base – win or lose – especially under the Don Fernandez era.
That’s in the back of everyone’s mind when they ask Drew Fernandez, “Are you Don’s boy?”
“The first person I called when I got the job was my dad,” Drew said. “We talked for two hours. The thing he taught me was you have to have discipline, but patience as well. He would win BIIF titles then have a new team the next year, and have to rebuild. Patience is the way to go.”
Asked his team’s goal, the son sounded much like his father.
“We want to take it one game at a time. Our first step is BIIFs, and hopefully if we win that, our ultimate goal is states. I think we have so much talent, and my coaching staff is helping me a lot.
“I know everybody is expecting a lot. It’s a different sport and it’s not basketball, but I’ve learned a lot from him about basketball and volleyball. And I’ll take what he taught me. I know I have to live up to his reputation.”
That’s a good piece of motivation as any for Drew Fernandez, who maybe one day gets a nice Christmas present from his dad: a pair of Chuck Taylor coaching shoes.