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NEIL SHAW BLAISDELL AWARD
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The Neal Blaisdell Award was established in 1975, and is awarded to any professional or non professional athlete or other person in the field of sports, who, throughout the years, has devoted his or her exemplary efforts to bring great recognition to sports in Hawaii.
2009 Neal Shaw Blaisdell Award
Chester Chee - Chester is a 22 year volunteer in OIA Soccer. He has been keeping his own records and stats in the OIA East and West since 1998. He covers every game during the soccer season, often missing Christmas and other gatherings in favor of doing his "duty". Chester covers something like 980 games annually, gathering stats and reporting these scores to the media. He also collects and compiles the data for every HHSAA girls and boys state tournament match, and has done this for every year over two decades. He is fastidious about the record keeping, and "trained" all of the coaches Oahu to call him with information after their games so he can compile and forward the information to the media. Known for his selflessness and humility, Chester started collecting soccer stats when his sons were playing, because he then realized no one else was doing it. The media have come to count on him as if he were one of their own.
Past Recipients:
YEAR |
AWARDEE |
YEAR |
AWARDEE |
2009 |
Chester Chee - soccer |
2008 |
Thomas Holden, Punahou School Athletic Director |
2007 |
Marilyn Moniz Kahoohanohano, UH Associate AD |
2006 |
Mufi Hannemann, Mayor, Honolulu |
2005 |
Keith Amemiya, HHSAA President |
2004 |
James Barahal, Honolulu Marathon President |
2003 |
Brian Derby, Football Camp Organizer |
2002 |
Don Murphy, Nakoa Football Boosters |
2001 |
Keith Amemiya, HHSAA President |
2000 |
Allen Richardson, Olympic Swimming Physician |
1999 |
Les Murakami, UH Baseball Coach |
1998 |
Fred Borsch, Sports Writer |
1997 |
Jim Leahy, Sportscaster |
1996 |
Wilfred Navalta, BYUH Volleyball Coach |
1995 |
Earl Galdeira, Football Official |
1994 |
Cal Lee, St. Louis Football Coach |
1993 |
Marcia Cherner-Klompus, Aloha Bowl |
1992 |
Bob Wagner, UH Football Coach |
1991 |
Barbara Velasco, Aloha State Games |
1990 |
Les Keiter, Sportscaster |
1989 |
Albert Minn, Swimming Coach/Organizer |
1988 |
Jack Sullivan, Soccer Organizer |
1987 |
Dave Shoji, UH Volleyball Coach |
1986 |
Tommy Kono, National Weightlifting Coach |
1985 |
Mackey Yanagisawa, Hula Bowl Founder |
1984 |
Jimmy "Timo" Mitchell, Football Official |
1983 |
Sharon Peterson, UH Hilo Volleyball Coach |
1982 |
Mervin Lopes, Basketball Coach |
1981 |
John Velasco, Jr. Football Coach |
1980 |
Richard Gooch, Yacht Race Organizer |
1979 |
Mackey Yanagisawa, Sports Promoter |
1978 |
Vernon "Red" McQueen, Sports Editor |
1977 |
Charles "Chuck" Leahy, Sports Writer |
1976 |
Monte Ito, Sports Writer |
1975 |
Neal Blasdell, Football Coach/Organizer |
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AWARD ESTABLISHED IN 1975 |
2008 Neal Shaw Blaisdell Award
Thomas Holden - Punahou School Athletic Director for the past 11 years. In the 2007-2008 academic year, the Buffanblu captured 16 of 32 state championship titles and the school’s athletics program was ranked first in the nation by Sports Illustrated magazine in May 2008. Holden has also been instrumental in strengthening Punahou’s long-standing athletic traditions of participation and competitiveness - he oversees a program that includes 115 different sports teams. The SI ranking recognizes the quality and diversity of Punahou School’s athletic program for boys and girls, which invites students to participate at three competition levels - intermediate, junior varsity and varsity.
2007 Neal Shaw Blaisdell Award
Marilyn Moniz Kaho'ohanohano - UH Associate Athletic Director and Senior Women's Administrator; former UH volleyball athlete and scholar, graduate of William S Richardson School of Law. Since becoming director for women's sports, she has overseen the University's Title IX compliance programs and was instrumental in doubling women's sports participation and earning the University an A-rating in gender equity from the Women's Sports Foundation (one of the few Universities around the country to earn such a high mark). She also supervises the department's student services and academics program, and oversees 12 different sports. All this while raising three daughters.
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