Kaeo Drummondo’s first big hire as Hilo High athletic director will come in a position he knows like the back of his hand.
Laveitiga Suiaunoa “unfortunately made the decision to resign for family/personal reasons,” as the Vikings’ football coach, Drummondo texted the Tribune-Herald, ending a brief tenure at the helm of the BIIF Division I dynasty that never got off the ground because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hilo principal Jasmine Urasaki announced Suiaunoa as Drummondo’s successor in April of 2020, but the former Vikings defensive assistant never had the chance to hold a practice, much less coach in a game, as the BIIF season was delayed because of the virus. The season was finally canceled for the 2020-21 school year in January.
Drummondo, who took over as athletic director over the summer, is accepting applications for the head coaching position through March 29. If anybody knows what qualities it takes to steer the Vikings’ football ship it’s him — but, no, he can’t hire himself, per a Department of Education rule.
During Drummondo’s five seasons as coach, Hilo never failed to win the BIIF Division I title, losing just three league games. The Vikings became the first neighbor island school to capture the state D-I title in 2017, and they won a second crown in 2019.
Drummondo resigned after that season — also giving up his job as a Big Island police officer — to become the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Kamehameha-Kapalama, while accepting a job with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on Oahu. However, when the Vikings’ AD position opened, Drummondo jumped at the opportunity to move back to Hilo High.
However, he can’t return as football coach as long as he’s the athletic director. According to Waiakea High AD Tommy Correa, by DOE rule “any school administrator is prohibited from coaching. Be it vice principals, principals or ADs.” There are exceptions, but none of them would appear to apply to a full-time AD in a non-emergency situation.
For more information on the coaching job — or the school’s open water polo coaching position — call the Hilo AD’s office at 313-5600.
Since private schools don’t fall under the DOE umbrella, administrators are allowed to coach. Hawaii Prep athletic director Stephen Perry, for example, is the longtime coach of the school’s girls soccer program, and Christian Liberty AD Gary Oertel has coached the Canefire’s girls and boys volleyball teams.
