Terence Moniz couldn’t pass up another shot.
Terence Moniz couldn’t pass up another shot.
He left Waiakea’s air riflery program at its pinnacle, and now he’s ready to take aim again by starting a shooting program at Keaau High.
Since becoming a career counselor at the school in 2012, athletic director Iris McQuire would routinely ask Moniz when he was going to coach up the Cougars.
After working his way up to his desired career goal as a natural resources teacher, Moniz said the timing was right.
“I finally found my comfort zone,” he said.
In his final season as Waiakea coach in 2012, the Warriors swept the boys and girls HHSAA championships. The boys also won a state crown in 2010. Moniz also helped develop individual state champions Kellie Iwasaki and Justin Gray.
His goals this season will be much more modest. For starters, he needs shooters, and tryouts will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday at the school gym.
“Last season in my (class) a student started a petition to have us start an air riflery program, so I think the turnout will be good,” Moniz said.
In addition to his commitment, it’s taken a community effort to get the Cougars’ program rolling. Moniz credited Waiakea’s Mel Kawahara, St. Joseph’s Mel Inaba, Kamehameha’s Tracy Aruga and Ka’u AD Kalei Namohala with lending Keaau equipment such as targets, guns and mats.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Moniz said.
He stopped by Waiakea recently and took note that some of the boys shooters on the 2012 state winner were still involved with the program and tutoring shooters. Moniz hopes is to build a similar environment at Keaau.
“We just want them to have fun this year and experience what it’s like to shoot a in a match. Hopefully, they can learn from others,” Moniz said.
For more information on Keaau tryouts, call the athletic department at 313-3450.