Thomas Yoshida is usually behind the scenes at Hawaii high school sporting events, and now he’s in the spotlight.
Yoshida, a basketball official, statistician for numerous sports and a Hawaii High School Athletic Association volunteer, is one of 12 people in the nation who have been selected to receive the 2020 National Federation of State High School Associations Citation Award, according to a HHSAA news release.
The NFHS Citations are presented to individuals associated with categories of professionals who have made significant contributions to the NFHS or other national organizations which have impacted high school activities.
Yoshida has been a high school basketball official for 37 years and is the current president of the Hawaii State Basketball Officials Association. He has officiated 31 league championship games, 12 state championship games, and in 2006 served on the NFHS basketball rules committee.
In addition, he is a founding board member and vice president of the Hawaii Sports Officials Hall of Fame, an organization established in 2917 to promote positive public awareness of officials and their value to sports.
Yoshida is also well known as a master statistician and record keeper. He worked with numerous others to compile the HHSAA basketball and football record books that date back to 1957.
Four others from Hawaii previously won the NFHS Citation Award — retired OIA and HHSAA executive director Dwight Toyama in 2015, former HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya in 2010, retired HHSAA executive director Edward Kiyuna in 2005, and retired ILH executive director Don Botelho in 2000.
Yoshida will receive his award Jun 30 at the 101st annual NFHS Summer Meeting in Denver.
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