Longtime Konawaena girls basketball coach Bobbie Awa will be wearing red, white and blue the next time she coaches a game on the hardwood.
USA Basketball has named Awa as one of four court coaches for the upcoming Women’s U17 World Cup Trials May 24-28 at Colorado Springs, Colo. Awa has led Konawaena to nine state championships in the past 15 seasons, including the last four HHSAA Division I titles.
Many of her top players have continued their playing careers at the college level, including former Star-Advertiser All-State players of the year Lia Galdeira and Chanelle Molina.
Also named as court coaches are Kristen Dowling (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College), Dave Slifer (University of Central Missouri) and Sophia Witherspoon (Fort Pierce Central H.S., Fla.).
In USA Basketball’s announcement, Awa said:
“I am honored and excited to serve as a court coach for the USA Women’s U17 Trials. To work with the amazing and experienced USA Basketball committee, U17 coaching staff and the top players in the country will truly be an incredible opportunity. I am proud to represent Konawaena High School, the Big Island community and the State of Hawaii during this event.”
Will USA allow her to wear slippers???
Yes, please have her wear shoes, not slippahs!
I don’t think slippahs will change her coaching one bit….she will be a huge asset on the court for those girls and slippahs will have had nothing to do with it!
Really!!! Shhh! Worried about slippah? Get a grip! How many Championships you won? Go Bobbie! Hawaii got U!
She’s an awesome coach!
If the rest of the state wants to grow their programs to follow Coach Awa then the solution is for the HHSAA to allow high school coaches to coach their kids year round. This is what all top programs in the state have been doing for awhile.
She is an outstanding coach as proven by her consistent and stellar record over a decade, yet there hasn’t been any story on her background as a player and her coaching techniques. Star Advertiser owes us an interesting sports/feature story. Or maybe Coach Awa is too humble and shuns the spotlight.
So PROUD of you Bobbie and all you represent! Humble as humble pie! We in Kona are so blessed to have her and her coaches take our kids and teach them the skill set needed to play basketball and enjoy the game to become life long basketball players! The slippahs are her trademark and we love it!
What about any players from the state? Anyone has a chance to make the team?
No