Happiest camper ADVERTISING Happiest camper Recently, the Vulcan basketball camp concluded a fantastic return to our University of Hawaii at Hilo campus after a four-year hiatus — during which Hawaii County’s Department of Parks and Recreation took up the baton
Happiest camper
Recently, the Vulcan basketball camp concluded a fantastic return to our University of Hawaii at Hilo campus after a four-year hiatus — during which Hawaii County’s Department of Parks and Recreation took up the baton and led the summer camp.
This summer, almost 200 campers were treated to a fun-filled week of basketball skills training, sprinkled with a healthy dose of life lessons.
Former Vulcan coach and retired athletic director of Vanguard University, Bob Wilson, a master organizer and conductor of highly successful camps during his tenure at Hilo, was invited back to again display his magic. Bill O’Rear, a former Vulcan basketball standout, coach and longtime sports editor at the Tribune-Herald, also returned to share his incredible wealth of talent and personality.
Current UHH coaches — GE Coleman and Dave Kaneshiro — did a marvelous job as camp directors.
Of course, the contribution of our own homegrown volunteer coaches, including several former Vulcan players who also are active coaches, provided direct guidance to campers as clinicians, line coaches and team coaches. Their enthusiasm and sweat equity was on display throughout the week.
Kula Oda, UHH associate athletic director, and members of the staff worked tirelessly behind the scenes, covering all the needed logistics. All in all, thanks to everyone involved, it was a great happening of joy in Hilo.
Of course, the successful return of our Vulcans camp to the UHH campus was only possible because of the vision and leadership of our newest athletic director, Pat Guillen.
Hired to provide needed management expertise and leadership for our athletic department, Pat has — in just less than two years — brought positive change and steady movement toward long-term excellence to the program.
I have been a keen and very close observer of his work ethic, vision and focus concentrating on bringing positive change to the Vulcans program. He collaborated with Clayton Honma of the county, a former Vulcan camper, to keep the spirit of our camp alive.
We owe them a debt of gratitude for honoring our past, our traditions and our local culture while moving us into a strong future.
Reflecting on change, we know there is always the chance there can be segments of any organization or community that will see things differently.
In contrast, and providing a valuable lesson to us all, Coach Wilson shared many pearls of wisdom during camp. One in particular directed our attention to the task of being an impressive person — a team player — who can uplift teammates throughout, always working hard to find positive direction and to avoid gossip and innuendo.
Perhaps our entire community can learn what our young campers experienced: Two hundred happy campers and 40-some coaches, joyously shouting, learning important skills, building new relationships, friendships and memories, and seeing and setting great examples of teamwork all the way around.
Finally, you must know the happiest camper of all is an 82-year-old with shaky knees who loves Hilo, loves our university and respects the progress he sees at our athletic department. He is very grateful to everyone who made the return of Vulcan basketball camp a very joyous success.
Mahalo to all!
Coach Jimmy Yagi
