State Award of Merit Presented to Adria Mendoza

Assistant Athletic Director Adria Mendoza was awarded the State Award of Merit at the Hawaii High School State Athletic Director Conference on June 6th. The award is presented to one athletic director in each state in recognition of meritorious service, leadership, and special contributions to interscholastic athletics at the league and state level.

Adria also serves as a member on the Endowment Committee for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. According to athletic director Bill Villa, "Adria is always willing to handle tasks behind the scenes whether it is at Mid-Pacific, for the ILH, the HHSAA, and the NIAAA (these are all the local, state, and national associations for athletic directors). Adria works hard every day and takes pride in the quality of work that she produces in anything that she does. She is so deserving of this award."

Congratulations Ms. Mendoza!

Posted at 8:03 PM | Permalink

Aaron Fujiki 07-08 Gatorade Hawaii Baseball Player of the Year

Mid-Pacific Institute catcher Aaron Fujiki was announced yesterday as Gatorade's state baseball player of the year - the fifth Owls player to receive the award.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound senior batted .381 with 23 RBIs to help lead the Owls to the state quarterfinals.
Fujiki has maintained a B average in the classroom and is headed to San Diego State in the fall.
Pitcher Harrison Kuroda was the last MPI player to win it, in 2004.

Posted at 6:14 PM | Permalink

Girls Volleyball

Coach Matt Galacia would like all the girls volleyball players to attend the speed and quickness clinic starting on June 2nd (3:30pm - 5pm). Girls varsity and jv players will start summer volleyball workouts on Monday, June 2nd from 5pm to 7pm in the gym. Girls intermediate will start summer volleyball workouts on Wednesday, June 4th from 3pm - 5pm.

Posted at 7:48 PM | Permalink

State Track

Six members of the MPI’s boys varsity track team qualified to run in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association’s 2008 State Track and Field Championships on May 16 and 17 2008 at Mililani High School.

Freshman Daniel Wagner ran his personal best time of 16.09 seconds in the 110 meter high hurdles placing 9th at the State Trials on Friday, May 16, 2008. His time is the 5th best time in 110 hurdles in MPI track and field history. He placed 21st in the State Trials for the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 44.22 seconds.

The MPI relay team made up of sophomores Kelsey Morihara and Kennedy Spencer, junior Jonathan Taniguchi, and senior Sean Ishii ran the 4 x 100 m relay event, placing 20th at the State Trials, in 46.14 seconds, which is the 3rd fastest relay time in MPI track and field history. The sixth MPI qualifier, senior Jaime Rivera, was injured and was not able to compete in the 200 m event at the State Trials.

Congratulations to these six MPI track athletes in qualifying and representing MPI in the 2008 HHSAA State Track and Field Championships.

Posted at 2:31 PM | Permalink

Chanon Alcon named new Director of Tennis at MPI

Mid-Pacific Institute is proud to announce that Chanon Alcon has been named Director of Tennis.

“Chanon is very well known and respected in the Hawaii tennis community,” Said MPI Athletic Director Bill Villa. “He’s a relationship builder and a leader. We got a real gem in Chanon Alcon.”

As a player, Chanon was the ILH singles champion and state runner up during his high school days at Kamehameha. He played for the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warrior tennis team from 1990-1994, where he played in the first singles position and was a first team all-Western Athletic Conference selection. He has more than 30 years of tennis experience as a player and a coach.

Since 2002, Chanon has been on the coaching staff for the tennis teams at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Prior to that he spent 4 years coaching high school tennis. He has also served as the head tennis pro at the Ihilani Resort and Spa. Chanon is a member of the USTPA and USTA and has operated the Alcon Tennis Academy, working with junior tennis players.

Villa and the administration's vision for the program include creating a comprehensive tennis program for grades K-12 that caters to all levels of ability, including competitive tennis in the ILH and in outside programs.

Among the goals on Alcon’s shortlist will be to build upon the Mid-Pacific ILH tennis program, work with the PE teachers to enhance the tennis course offerings in the MPI physical education department, and provide comprehensive program of tennis lessons for students after school, on the weekends and during the summer.

Chanon will be in charge of the entire MPI tennis program, including the scheduling of courts and the management of coaches.

“We plan to keep the MPI courts busy all year,” said Villa.

“This is a very exciting time for Mid-Pacific tennis,” Alcon said. “Tennis is a great lifetime sport that people can enjoy at any age.”

Posted at 2:01 PM | Permalink