Team work

WAIMEA — It’s hard to say what’s most impressive: Sharon Peterson’s career as a volleyball player or her career as a volleyball coach.

As a player, she went to the Olympics twice, was a U.S. Volleyball Association All-American seven times and played professionally in the International Volleyball Association where she was an all-star and league champion.

As a coach, she has more than 500 wins, including seven national championship titles at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. She was National Collegiate Coach of the Year five times, a State of Hawaii Sportsperson of the Year and has been inducted into five Halls of Fame.

And if that weren’t impressive enough, next year she’ll begin her 50th year coaching. Currently, she coaches the girls and boys varsity volleyball teams at Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA).

Peterson had an inauspicious beginning for such a remarkable career. Growing up in Southern California she loved sports, but because Title IX didn’t exist yet there were no school sports for girls. So, she started out playing beach volleyball.

In the summer following high school graduation, fortuitously, Peterson was spotted by a scout and invited to try out for a local club team that participated in local and national tournaments. She made the team and that opened the door to many more opportunities during a playing career that would span three decades.

Peterson was a five-time player on the U.S. National Team and represented her country as part of the U.S. Women’s Olympics Team at the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.

When she and the women’s volleyball team went to Japan, it was the first time the women’s game was a recognized sport in the Olympics and the first time for a team of women from any sport to compete.

Volleyball had yet to become popular in the U.S., but in Japan it held cult status.

“Once people found out we were there to play volleyball, we were treated like celebrities,” Peterson remembered.

She also recalled the incredible skills of the Japanese teams.

“They’re the ones who really took the game to another level by playing a faster offense and acrobatic defense,” she said.

Peterson’s coaching career began while she was still playing. She accepted a teaching position at Punahou School on Oahu to begin in the fall while competing and winning a gold medal at the 1967 Summer Pan American Games in Canada. Again, one open door led to another, and after five years at Punahou she moved to the Big Island to begin her first stint coaching at HPA.

At HPA, one day a man who’d been watching her coach told her about a men’s team in Waimea and asked if she’d be willing to help his team.

Peterson said yes and ended up meeting — and coaching — her future husband, Greg Mooers, who is the current vice chair on HPA’s Board of Trustees.

She has found her husband’s support throughout her career invaluable.

“In the 40 years we’ve been married, I think he’s only missed one of my games and that was to scout another team for me,” Peterson said.

At her games, Mooers takes detailed play-by-play statistics and then manipulates the data on the computer into useful information.

There’s no question Peterson has a competitive streak. But more than winning, she loves coaching because it affords her the opportunity to make a difference in a student’s life.

“Teaching life lessons is the part of coaching I enjoy most,” she says. “I enjoy working with the kids, seeing if I can help them grow and become more confident.”

Her practices are often focused more on learning moments than on scrimmaging. For example, as a way of teaching players how to take initiative, each player has to ask a coach at least one question during practice.

“When they do that, they become empowered,” Peterson said.

Both the volleyball players and assistant volleyball coaches at HPA are appreciative and awed to be in the presence of someone as learned and accomplished as Peterson.

Assistant Coach Russell Lee said, “I’m learning from the best.”

HPA Junior Madi Lee, who has played for Peterson since her freshman year, said, “Coach Peterson is really open to how we want to learn and she’s very knowledgeable. She also gives us inspirational quotes which help you become mentally strong.”

HPA Student Athletic Director Stephen Perry said, “Coach Peterson brings an unmatched level of experience and expertise to our volleyball programs. Her passion for the game and attention to detail helps our players and teams improve each and every day on the court. We are fortunate to have Sharon on our sideline.”

It appears HPA students can continue to look for Peterson there because for now at least, she has no plans to retire.

“The kids keep me young in mind and spirit,” Peterson said, adding she knows of people in their 80s who still coach. “Volleyball is my hobby and passion and I’m going to do it as long as I can. My coaching career has no finish line.”