Greg Tacon is no longer the boys basketball coach at Kamehameha, according to three sources who requested anonymity because the school has not made an official announcement.
The sources said Tacon was let go within the last two weeks. Multiple calls to Tacon and Kamehameha athletic director Glennie Adams last week and this week were not returned.
The Warriors went 6-4 in the ILH in the recently concluded winter season and failed to qualify for the Division I state tournament.
Tacon was hired by the Warriors in June 2013 and spent five years as the head man. The Warriors went 22-28 in that span in ILH regular season games and failed to qualify for the state tournament.
Tacon previously was the boys head coach at Punahou and Moanalua.
Tacon is the second basketball coach at Kamehameha to find out he won’t be back next season. In late March, girls basketball coach Joe Cho was let go after four seasons.
A change of head coach also happened in the Kamehameha baseball program prior to the season now in progress. Thomas Perkins and the whole varsity and JV staff were released in January. Kahi Kaanoi is the new varsity baseball coach.
Good Riddins!!!!
The whole athletic program administration is a joke! The AD’s are useless! Why does a school need so many AD’s to run their athletic program?
Wow…… not the uncle, ah?? 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Maybe, the coaches not that good? Or the players from the other schools are better? or both? Who knows???
Theres so much factors or variables to blame it on one person or thing or “uncle” as you put it.
They always say, that the teams are stacked. That could be, but how do they stack up to the likes of teams that recruit kids??
When you get down to it, shes a good person with, I feel, no ill will or intent to break down kids. Maybe just not a good shepherd for coaches or players or talent.
Good luck to the coaches who were recently let go and to the Warriors.
The whole athletic administration at Kamehameha is a JOKE! How many AD’s does it take to run an athletic program?
Kamehameha & Kahuku’s
AD/Administration
Is the laughing stock of Hawaii HS Athletics 👎🏽
Put it this way, with all the pick of the litter that this school has…how is it possible NOT to dominate in all sports? I hear of so much outstanding Hawaiian athletes/academic kids that get rejected from this school…
Recent trend, recent trend…
Fire good coaches,
To bring in more-men. (Spelling)
I was waiting for Administration to release a statement but the StarAdvertiser was bent on finding out. So with that in mind, my contract was not renewed by KS three weeks ago. All I can say about the situation was that the last thing I was told was “I can’t tell you the reason”.
After 32 years I hoping to choose the time I walked away. Unfortunately that decision was made for me. I just don’t think I have it in me to reinvent myself and start another program. Every team and every player deserves a Coach who is all in, and I can honestly say I’m not sure if I can do it again. My Facebook feed is full of former players and coaches that have been such a huge part of my life. Coaching was an honor and an amazing journey to take. I have zero regrets and enjoyed every aspect of the job. I’m not looking to blame or bad mouth anymore, I just want to to thank every young man and woman I got to work with over the years. From Shorecrest to Punahou, Moanalua and Kamehameha I worked with the best young kids you can imagine. I thank them and all of their efforts.
Not Coach T’s fault that his best player was ineligible for much of the season. They usually have middle of the league talent. In my humble opinion, they end up where they should. Near the middle of a little above. Punahou and Maryknoll blatantly recruit. Iolani was the class act and now the talent there is becoming bare.
Hard to win with Maryknoll and Punahou in your league. From what I seen, Coach T is a good guy who did a good job.
ILH coach #2
Make sure you include Iolani in the blatantly recruiting category as well. Class act, definitely. But they recruit just like Maryknoll, Punahou and MPI
ILH Coach #2, best player? I and many don’t think so. Sure he could jump out of the gym but made uneducated decisions and forced shots far too much and the coaches did nothing to control him and it showed!
Good Job Glennie, takes a lot of courage and strength to “clean house”! If you you not producing then you must go. And it’s not because they didn’t have talent cause they did, just didn’t use them strategically.
ILH Coach #2, middle of the league talent? what are you talking about, do you know anything thing about basketball in the ILH? near the middle or above? common, they had very good talent this year, at least to get that 2nd bid to the state, better talent than Marynoll and maybe not as deep as Punahou, but in terms of starting 5, I think Kamehameha, could have been more competative, with anyone in the state this year, this was suppose to be the year, 5 returning starters, and very good starters, good enough to beat anybody in the state, what happen ? it might be time for a change.
Coach Tacon, congratulations for a outstanding career. It is really sad that the administrators at KS did not have the courage to give you a proper explanation. With that said, you surely must have some idea of what was going on behind the scenes for them to let you go.
Is it like the KS girls coach who said some of the JV and Inter coaches and parents were out to get him? Or is it like the KS baseball coach who didn’t agree with administration decisions?
If you did nothing wrong and handled everything properly and still were shown the exit door, maybe you have a case for legal action.
@ILH Wannabe, why so aggressive in your writing? It seems like you can do better so I am guessing you will be the next Kamehameha coach since you can obviously do so much better based on your knowledge of basketball. Can you please give me your name so I can monitor your career since you are so high on yourself.
Let’s see, about 3-4 kids miss almost half of the season due to grades. Low post threat never wants to play inside. Most athletic kid isn’t really a shooter.
I stand by my comment that Maryknoll and Punahou had noticeably more talent.
Luckily for Kamehameha, you will be the next head coach and the team can stop underachieving.
Kamehameha Red Raiders or is it Kahuku Warriors? It’s all about win at all cost! Sad commentary on their high school athletic goals & mission. How can one get fired and not be given an explanation? Have some BALLS Uncle! There must be an AD training class that teaches “You’re Fired but I can’t tell you why” as several others coaches at other high schools were told the same thing. Geee, Baseball Coach, Girls Basketball Coach, Boy’s Basketball Coach, might as well fire all sports and re-hire.
Thank you Coach Tacon for sacrificing your time/energy in coaching your players. There is a program out there that will appreciate your coaching.
ILH basketball:
Some schools recruit (P/M/Stl)
Some schools live off their academic rep (I/Mid)
Some schools cycle players from inter to JV and JV to varsity to win (Stf)
Coach T did none of the above. He ran a program the old fashioned way. Win or lose. Respect a vet and let him know why it didn’t work out so he can improve his craft and keep helping shape student athletes.
ILH Wanna Be
You forgetting the fact that 2-3 of those returning starters missed an important stretch of the season. Is that Coach Tacon’s fault? Was he suppose to sit in class and do homework with them? You can’t misuse talent that isnt eligible to get on the court. Take Cole and Zayne out of Punahous lineup for 2-3 weeks and let’s see how well Punahou would do. Would it also be Coach Matsudas fault if he couldnt win minus the two above players?
Of all the post season awards handed out, there were a lot of things to scratch your head at. One of the most puzzling was why Kamehameha’s and the ILH’s leading scorer was not given any post season recognition. Not even ILH honorable mention. But yet when the Star Advertiser Fab 15 comes out, he’s top 10. That was weird.
ILH Awards are given to those whom DESERVE IT!
Fab15 and Scoringlive are all based on their own company’s opinion, has nothing to do with the school’s awards.
Leading scorer? Not leading scorer at the end of the season, that’s when it counts.
Loca1boiAnonymous, Kamehameha Kapalama’s top three leading scorers, total points scored…
166 Kobe Young
136 Christmas Togiai
112 Kamren Victorino-Kato
Since Kobe made 1st team and Christmas made 2nd team, you must be referring to Kamren. A kid that’s ineligible and misses 5 or 6 games out of the season due to Academic Probation does not constitute an ILH award. As IMUA so bluntly stated, if you do not work hard for it on the court AND in the classroom, you simply do not deserve it. In my opinion, the ILH award is the only award that matters. You are representing the school, you wouldn’t be playing any kind of ball without the school’s resources.
As for the three players on Academic Probation, did they make any difference in the pivotal game they all came back against Marykoll in the 2nd round? NO! they did not! ILH Coach #2 your theory just doesn’t hold any water.
At the end of the day, it is the head coach’s responsibility to get to know every single one of his players. By doing so, he would of known what motives every player and use it to extract the very best out of each and every one of them, regardless of the level of basketball, every player had something to contribute! Instead they played high favorite to the kid on Academic Probation, not very smart coaching. There are so much more to head coaching than the Xs and Os. The main objective (and hoping what Glennie looks for) of a head coach (and assistants) is to run the best program FOR the boys (and girls) without any over shadowing ego standing in the way. Coaches can talk the talk but can they walk the walk.
i.e. Many (not all) of the varsity boys, in Tacon’s 5 year tenure, felt unappreciated and lost the love they had for the game in some point of the five years. What kind of coach does that? If the head coach AND his assistants love the game just as much, they would not have bestowed such a culture towards our keikis.
All I’m reading are excuses to what the reasoning might be for dismissal. Bottomline, KSK athletics have the right to renew coaching contracts every year. He did something that didn’t mull over athletics very well. It’s time for an overdue change. Good Job, Glennie (and Ed)!
Maybe it was just time for a new coach??
5 years is a long time to establish a program.
22-28 (regular season games) during those 5 years, no ILH title or State tournament appearances.
Sounds pretty justified.
Harsh, but the reality of coaching at one of the top schools in the State.
It just might be a blessing in disguise for Coach T. It can be quite stifling up on the hill for coaches.
Not pointing at anyone in particular but the Culture of Athletics up on the Hill is in serious need of revamping.
@ILH, there’s nothing wrong with choosing not to extend a coach’s contract and look to move in a new direction. And with the departure of a lot of seniors, maybe this is the best time.
But a coach is asked to be a leader of young men and women. It make that job so much more challenging when the AD lacks the integrity to tell the coach they want to move in a new direction.
Since all ILH coach’s contracts are year to year and expire after the season, it’s the school’s discretion to renew the contract. if they choose not to, there is no grounds for wrongful termination. It’s common business practice to tell an employee a company (or school in this case) wants to make an employment change.
A few comments have been deleted. Debate the topics all you want but please stay away from the name calling. It’s a simple request.
Thanks.
ILH Coach#2-
Ok. So Glennie lacks integrity now?
Wow. I dont know all the facts but if thats how you see it,……
Youre not debating that he shouldnt have been let go, youre debating about how it was done?
Probably could have been done better based on what Coach said happened.
Mahalo Billy for the moderating.
@ Respect the game, you say, “As for the three players on Academic Probation, did they make any difference in the pivotal game they all came back against Marykoll in the 2nd round? NO! they did not! ILH Coach #2 your theory just doesn’t hold any water.”
It takes NBA players who miss significant time several weeks or longer to get their timing back. Sometimes it can take them several weeks.
Players need time to get their rhythm and timing back. So, if it takes professional athletes several weeks (if not more) to get their timing, rhythm, and conditioning back, how long do you think it would take a high school athlete?
So once again, you are expecting high school kids who missed about 2-3 weeks (and I heard they missed several practices to get additional tutoring) to come back in the same condition prior to their suspension when NBA Athletes often cannot.
And my theory does not hold water? Please tell me how these Kamehameha players cannot be affected by the time off but NBA Athletes are.
@ ILH, I believe that any supervisor, manager, etc., has the responsibility to give a reason why a contract isn’t going to be renewed, especially after 5 years. I understand that often a truthful one isn’t given. For example, a trustee or large donor could want a change in coaching. A smart administrator would not give that as a reason. So a simple, we want to make a change since you didn’t win enough should be enough.
@ILHC2
What you believe might not be the same as the people we talking about leading to them handling situations different from you or me. Wrong? I dont think so. Could have been handled better, I DO think so.
But to say that the AD does not have integrity is a huge step from “couldve handled better”.
Remember this?
“But a coach is asked to be a leader of young men and women. It make that job so much more challenging when the AD lacks the integrity to tell the coach they want to move in a new direction.
Being let go, is never a great feeling. Time will heal the hurt and I hope bring back the love and “Juice” to coach again. Good luck Coach T.
Have you ever, EVER, heard of a kid who was named a top 15 player by the Star Advertiser for the year and didnt even make honorable mention for his own individual league – ILH or OIA? I’m not talking even first or second team but HONORABLE MENTION. I’m saying is that is very unheard of.
@LBA
Are you still talking about KVK??
@ILH
No sheet Sherlock. I would love to hear if anyone has heard of that happening to a player for real. I am not a fan of Kamehameha or the ILH for that matter but I felt the kid got wrongfully ousted in the ILH. Surely the coach could’ve argued for his 4 year player to get honorable mention?! Too bad. Maybe the kid should’ve just gone down to the Kamehameha Division 2, scored 40 ppg and been Gatorade player of the year then huh?
@LBA(LittoBitAnnoyed)
Than why be so vague?
Isn’t the team/HM determined by what the player did THIS season?
D1 or D2 He still would have missed games due to academics, which I truly think played a huge part in his being snubbed. Natural consequences. Hopefully it will be a lesson learned.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan, I knew he was going to be a great player when I saw him playing in KBA shooting and making three pointers in the Pinto/Mistang div.?? Nothing but well wishes for him, wherever he may go.
@ILH
Even with the academic probation or whatever he was on… the kid wasn’t good enough to be put on honorable mention at least? I was always interested in hearing the KSK coach’s reason for that.
This year’s post season awards we’re ridiculous for these reasons: 1) A D2 player won Gatorade POY 2) Nedd from Kapolei was snubbed out of the OIA West POY 3) McKinley’s coach was given the COY award (for what!?) and 4) KVK wasn’t good enough for honorable mention in the ILH.
Loca1boiAnonymous, Why so passionate about the Honorable Mention? Are you his relative?
ILH Coach #2, Really? you’re comparing high school kids to the NBA? For starters, NBA players take time to get back into their rhythm due to an injury. Was Kamren injured? No, he wasn’t. Again, your theory doesn’t hold any water. Since Kamren was not out of the ILH season caused by an inquiry, there is no reason why he needed time to acclimate himself back into the season. He should of been on the court in his additional spare time. If you argue the fact that he was in the gym, your theory, out the door. I can name drop a few kids on that team (and other teams) that manage to be eligible, scholars, and find the time to touch ball. So, please, stop making excuses. I’m beginning to think you’re one of the coaches.
@Loca1boiAnonymous
Have you EVER heard of an ineligible player making Honorable Mention? That’s the question I’d like to know the answer to. If there is, only then maybe you have a valid concern.
What’s going on at KSK? How do so many players get on A. Probation? Where are the parents, counselors, teachers, Admin., and Staff??? This is a private school for college prep.
ILH Coach #2, Really? you’re comparing high school kids to the NBA? For starters, NBA players take time to get back into their rhythm due to an injury. Was Kamren injured? No, he wasn’t. Again, your theory doesn’t hold any water.
———-
Well then let’s use the Community College, JUCO, and/or College Model. There have been numerous kids out with grades, suspensions due to breaking team rules and they are held out for anywhere from 1-4 weeks.
They miss anywhere from 1-5 or more games and they struggle. It’s due to rhythm and conditioning.
It’s unfortunate that you lack the cognitive skill to see similarities. I will make a specific case so you can follow.
There was a kid who played for Kahuku several years back. She went to Utah for several weeks due a death in the family. After missing several weeks she came back. She was a starter who averaged about 14 ppg and 8 rebounds per game. After coming back she struggled due to conditioning and rhythm/timing. Her averages dropped from 14/8 to 6/5.
At Punahou, we had a boy who had to sit out due to grades. He was out for 3 weeks. When he came back he struggled to get his conditioning right in games even though he practiced with the team.
Also, there is a HUGE DIFFERENCE between practicing and real game speed. I am starting to think you have never competed in an athletic sport to not be able to identify the difference.
And no, playing 2K18 on your Xbox doesn’t count maam.
Tacon never beat Punahou in his 5 years as KSK head coach. Think about it.. Punahou the school who he was let go from before taking the KSK job.
STUDENT ATHLETE (student first then athlete)
ILH AWARDS are done by the ILH Coaches (coaches voted)
If you dont do the work in the classroom, then you cant help your team on the court. (park player or 24 fitness player)
Also awards are earned, not given. Some of the students at KS feel entitled , a lot of seniors out there who was not on academic probation should have gotten honorable mention.(but not crying)
If a student athlete cant do a simple high school work, then whats going to happen in college or in real life (when mom and dad are not giving handouts or spoon feeding). The kid is a senior ,a young adult who should have be more responsible and do his school work.
In real life you don’t work ,then you don’t eat, your family will starve. Besides the only award every student athlete should shoot for is a high school diploma and a college degree (ILH award are great but only for those deserving)
Anyone remember JP Saycon (Farrington) good dunker, athletic, good player, NO GRADES
LESSON LEARN
“And no, playing 2K18 on your Xbox doesn’t count maam” LOL!
ILH Coach #2, You obviously know everything and there’s no rebuttal to everything you state.
Here’s my rebuttal. Of course, there’s a difference! Not as huge as you’ve blatantly put it. Maryknoll isn’t a new team to the league so no hidden match up. If your prized player was as good as you shined him up to be, there’s no excuses. Everyone knows if you’re good, you’re good! The pedestal you set was just way too high. It’s a TEAM sport!
Your college model is as vague as can be.
Please do not compare a player’s dealing with lost to this scenario, that’s just uncalled for and uncouth. As for the Punahou player, did you put that kid on the same pedestal? Highly doubt it! Stop comparing apples to oranges.
And, yes, I’ve played high school ball, collegiate ball, and 2K18.
Hey did you guys know that KVK won the Iolani Slamdunk Competition too?!?!?
Not a relative or supporter of KSK athletics. In fact I actually do not care for that program anymore. But I do know of an OIA east player who missed just as many games as KVK due to ineligibility and the kid was still named to one of the OIA east post season teams this year from scoringlive. Debate all we like, what is fact is that when it came time to name the best 15 players in the state, kid was top 10.
Hey RESPECTDAGAME, why are so so angry? Damn, looks like Coach T never played your kid. CHILL OUT!
I gotta say, being injured, getting sick, missing games due to grades, whatevers will affect kids. Hell, going to bed late affects kids. That’s why they r kids. Bro, missing 4-5 games in the middle of the season is huge. No wonder Kamren & Lele struggled most of the way home. I agree wit da coach 2. Missing game times does affect your performance.
So many people on here always getting angry. And no I do not coach at Kamehameha nor do I have a kid on da team.
They should change this site from hawaiiprepworld to http://www.adultswhocannotplayandgettheirpantiesruffled.com
Pretty Sad, lol.
Basketball Fan aka ILH Coach #2,
Let’s get a few things straight, I’m not mad or angry and my kid did NOT play for YOU (hallelujah). I know what’s been going on as you can simply read. It’s the right of the basketball community to know the truth. And, since you cannot handle the truth, you have to resort to immature mocking, as usual. Listening and adjusting are only a couple of good characters of a great coach, obviously, you have neither. As ‘EnoughAlready’ so nicely put it, Good Riddins!!!!
TAK-ON, You’re absolutely right on point! Our high school basketball community is tainted by the standards some think is right, basketball first – classroom second. Walking around thinking they’re entitled, when they simply are not. KVK#1Fan, Slam dunk contest winner does not equate to a merit award. They’re “for show” awards.
We, the community, need to shift the focus onto the keikis that actually instill the morals of a true Student-Athlete that our youth and community must lookup to.
P.S. My son stays up late, doing HOMEWORK and sure, I agree, it affects his performance. Do I see the coach making excuses for him? NO!
@Loca1boiAnonymous
I think you’re confused. ILH All-Star awards are for achieving STUDENT athletes.
Fab15 and Scoringlive are totally separate, based on the organization’s opinion. Usually, these organizations follow the ILH All-Star since ILH awards comes out first. Just be grateful he got Fab15.
@RESPECT! the Game April 14, 2018 10:29 am…Hey Bro now you just getting desperate. First of all liar, don’t accuse me of being anyone but myself. Mr. Moderator, please authenticate that I am solely myself so this nitwit can stop begging.
Secondly, your son doesn’t play basketball so stop lying. And if you are too much of a fool to realize that missing 2-3 weeks affects someone’s play then you are really more dumb than I thought.
I am sorry that you obviously have a bone to pick with the coach bro. But maybe if your kid had more talent they would make the team. U know?
Maybe talk to the coach face to face. But bro, instead you choose to bad mouth the guy on a forum hiding behind a name. No wonder your kid got cut. Like Momma like son?
Can u stop cryin now? Kinda embarrassing for u.
@IMUA
Help me to understand, so you’re saying there’s a rule in the ILH that if you miss any amount of games due to academic issues, you are disallowed from getting recognition in the post season regardless of if that student worked himself off of academic probation? So at the coaches’ meeting, they ask to see gpa and progress reports from all players before voting?
Let’s be honest, the honorable mention award is the coach saying “this kid wasn’t on 1st or 2nd team so I’ll nominate him as HH”. ESPECIALLY for a senior. I’m curious why the kid couldn’t get the “throw him a bone” award. Only KSK former coach can really answer that.
Loca1boiAnonymous,
I didn’t say anything about it being a rule. Don’t read more into it than what is in black and white. Since the coaches votes are what counts, maybe they thought he didn’t deserve HM
at the very least.
Basketball Fan, Let me break it down for you in the most simplest form so you can understand.
1. No-one else cares but YOU, bro
2. Look who’s the pot calling the kettle black, very big of you to say I’m hiding behind a forum when your headline reads “BASKETBALL FAN” and doing the bad mouthing
3. You think I’m one of the D2 parents that turned you in, well, sorry to disappoint, I am not
4. FYI, my son played basketball during the good old days, EARNED his accolades, AND his coach used his (and the team’s) skills very well
5. There’s no desperation, begging, bad mouthing or crying here, only simple honesty and truth
6. Liar, Nitwit, Fool, Dumb? Wow, what a big vocabulary you have! LOL! What are you, 5? Kinda embarrassing for YOU!!
It’s very disappointing that some people have to resort to making false accusations. That’s a sign of desperation. I am currently watching local boy Brad Tavares fight another professional Jotko. Jotko was quoted as saying “I have been struggling with my fighting since it’s taken me a while to get comfortable fighting in a new gym.”
The point is if high level athletes can become uncomfortable where it messes up their conditioning and timing due to things such as having a new coach, taking a break, being sick, etc., and these guys are the cream of the cop athlete. Then it would be very naive to think a high school kid who isn’t at this high level cannot be affected by missing 2-3 weeks of games.
It is not a fact. But when coaches, athletes, sports analysts all are saying that a break in routine can mess up performance, I don’t see how a hs kid is immune to this.
I guess they are when one person on here says it since they are so intelligent.