It has been more than 18 months that the University of Hawaii at Hilo has been functioning as an NCAA Division II member without an athletic director.
It has been more than 18 months that the University of Hawaii at Hilo has been functioning as an NCAA Division II member without an athletic director.
These administrators don’t play the games, they don’t coach, sometimes, depending on their personal style, you don’t even see them, but they are absolutely indispensible when it comes to high-performing athletic departments anywhere in the country.
The programs that are continually successful have AD’s behind the scenes making it happen. If you take the time to go look at schools that endure underperforming athletic programs on a regular basis, you won’t find any hot AD candidates, sought after by other schools.
At long last, UH-H is conducting public interviews with the two finalists, Josh Doody, from Notre Dame de Namur University in Silicon Valley, the Bay Area of Northern California, and Pat Guillen, previously the AD at Cal State-Dominguez Hills, about 10 miles outside of downtown Los Angeles.
Each of those places is like the other side of the moon when compared to Hilo. Money, population, and an abundance of nearby schools to save on transportation are only a few obvious differences.
Whoever gets the job will be taking on possibly the most challenging assignment at any NCAA school in the nation because of the geographic isolation and the crippling costs of travel. The new man will need some time to get acclimated, understand the community better and decide what direction to take the athletic department.
But there are a few obvious improvements that should be implemented regardless of the AD, because we are Hilo, we are the Big Island and it should not be all that difficult to magnify the substance of our environment cultural at every game or public event.
Hawaii-Hilo games should be occasions for cultural gatherings, times for celebrations and for support. There is a serious need for more visibility and a renewed commitment to bring who we are out in the opn. For instance:
Visibility – If you missed the small street sign on Kanoelehua that points the directions of Hawaii-Hilo and Hawaii Community College, it would be entirely possible to drive completely around the Big Island and never know we have a fully functioning four-year university right here.
For a few months now, the former Hilo Hattie store has sat vacant at the mall entrance, which might be the most visible, busiest spot on the island, certainly on our side. This is above the AD, but it plays well into athletics. The school should have leased the location immediately and if it hasn’t been contracted yet, somebody needs to make some phone calls.
If that building bore the school colors with signage that announced games and other events, it could be a major center of attention. They could call it the University Center and inside locals and tourists would find a stunning array of Vulcan gear from baby clothes to uniforms, shirts, decals, all of it.
It would be the place everyone knew you could buy game or other event tickets, a meeting room could be set up for local civic groups to meet and make face-to-face connection with school representatives.
Environment – We’re different here, let’s try to be more ourselves and less like every other school in the Pacific West Conference by rigorously projecting who we are and who attends one of the most diverse universities in the United States.
Go back to the roots and get ideas. If a visiting team bus pulled up for a basketball game against the Vulcans and saw maybe 50 drummers encircling the arena, pounding out a mesmerizing rhythm, it would be something that team never forgot, something they told everyone about back home.
Student clubs representing other countries or groups should have tables set up to engage the public, maybe recruit new members, yeah, the Paddle Club next to the South American Students, or whatever it might be.
At baseball games, arrange a secure area for keiki to play, allow outdoor grills for burgers or fish, let someone sell homemade malasada and let those scents waft up and throughout the field. People would come just for the smells.
At the end of the day, the new AD will have contacts, he knows the little things that are successful in other places, he just needs to grasp the concept and localize them.
But first, as the department floats aimlessly in NCAA waters, it needs someone to take charge, finally.
(contact Bart with ideas and tips barttribuneherald@gmail.com)