So, you want to keep stats? Learn Saturday

Ever wanted to learn how to keep football stats? Saturday is your chance.

Thomas Yoshida is a professional stat keeper, among many other things, and he is giving a three-hour workshop on doing it the correct way on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Kaimuki High School.

“In this workshop, you’ll learn the basic football stats and terms and how it applies to the game,” Yoshida said. “You’ll also track an actual (taped) game and be provided with stat sheets to track the key players. If you are a student statistician for a high school or youth team or if you’re looking for a way to be a sports journalist, this course will help you … .”

Yoshida has been a football statistician for nearly 40 years. He began his career as a student statistician at Leilehua High School under coach Hugh Yoshida in 1979. He also worked in sports information as a student at the University of Hawaii and later as a full-time assistant director. He currently works with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, OC 16 and on the UH football telecast as lead statistician.

“This clinic (which is sponosred by the HHSAA) is for anyone interested in what goes on along the sidelines and what the media does during games,” Yoshida said. “At the school level, training scorekeepers and statisticians not only helps the coaching staff, but serves as an aid to the media, especially if a player does well during a game or throughout the season. In addition, the skill of taking stats will help students if they want a career in sports. Journalism, sports information, broadcasting are some examples. Lastly, with the emphasis on football players earning scholarships at the next level, taking accurate statistics is a necessity.

“Training football statisticians will not only help with the potential shortage of scorekeepers, but will teach a universal method of keeping the same statistics consistently in telling the story of a football game or season.”

To sign up for the workshop, call the HHSAA at 792-3914.