Kahawai hired by Estancia

Scott Kahawai, who studied classical guitar at UC Irvine, continued the theme of musical chairs among Newport-Mesa Unified School District basketball coaches on Monday.

Kahawai, who had coached the Corona del Mar High girls’ basketball team the last two seasons, while helping out with the Sea Kings boys’ program the last three years, was hired as boys’ coach at Estancia High, Eagles Boys’ Athletic Director Tim Parsel announced.

Kahawai replaces Jason Simco, who resigned June 21 after two seasons at the Estancia boys’ helm.

Just a week later, Simco, who resigned to concentrate on pursuing a college degree, became an assistant for newly hired CdM boys’ coach Ryan Schachter, who left the Costa Mesa boys’ program to take over the Sea Kings’ helm.

Kahawai, 27-27 in two seasons as the CdM girls’ coach, including a CIF Southern Section Division III-AA playoff berth in 2006, said changing schools required some soul searching.

“I told the [CdM] girls it was a tough decision to make,” Kahawai said, “because the program I’m leaving is so family oriented. I’ve been blessed the last few years [he was the CdM girls’ junior varsity coach and a varsity assistant for two seasons under Elbert Davis in 2001-02 and 2002-03] to have the players I’ve had and the support the parents have given me. That made my decision to leave the most agonizing one of my career. It was tough to walk away from all that support.”

Kahawai, a 32-year-old Irvine resident, will teach history at Estancia. A former youth sports administrator for the City of Newport Beach, Kahawai began his teaching career in the fall of 2004 at Corona del Mar.

Parsel said getting an on-campus coach was a priority in replacing Simco, a 2000 Estancia graduate who was a walk-on coach for the Eagles.

“[Kahawai] seemed to be the right fit,” Parsel said. “He has experience on the varsity level. I had a good feeling about him. He coached the Corona del Mar girls and helped Ryan Curry with the boys’ team.”

“I think he’s the type of guy who can look at personnel and find the best style that suits them.”

Kahawai, a disciple of John Wooden’s coaching philosophy, said he watched the Eagles play their final summer league game Monday night. He will not get a chance to interact with players until school begins Sept. 7.

“I was lucky enough to see their last summer league game, so I think I have a good initial feel for what’s there,” Kahawai said. “I’ll try to gather some info, hopefully look at some videotape, and then make decisions on what offensive and defensive philosophies we’ll have.”

Kahawai said he is open to retaining assistants Tommy Rausch and Javier Castellano. Rausch, hired in May as Estancia’s girls’ coach, has coached at various levels in the Estancia boys’ program the last six seasons. He served as interim coach during the summer schedule.

Castellano, a former Eagle player, is also a veteran assistant.

Both Rausch and Castellano applied for the job, but neither are teachers.

“I spoke with [Rausch and Castellano] briefly and they told me they’d be interested in helping me any way they can,” Kahawai said. “With their experience, they may be able to help keep some level of consistency.”

Kahawai said he is aware of Estancia’s proud boys’ basketball tradition ? the Eagles won the CIF State Division III title in 1991 and played in CIF Southern Section title games in 1984, 1990, 1991 and 1992, winning the 3-AA crown in 1990.

“I want to tap into that tradition and try to get the players to feel like they are part of a legacy that is bigger than they are,” Kahawai said.

Kahawai said he is also excited about the Eagles’ future in the newly formed Orange Coast League, which will consist of crosstown rival Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Calvary Chapel and Godinez, a new school in Santa Ana.

“If I can get everyone to buy into the program, especially a few upperclassmen, I think we can do some exciting things.”

Staff writer Dave Thorpe contributed to this story

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