Sharon Peterson, a NAIA and UH-Hilo Hall of Fame volleyball coach, said she was fired from Hawaii Prep last week, just over a month after Ka Makani returned from the state tournament.
HPA Athletic Director Steve Perry emailed the Tribune-Herald a blanket statement that did not confirm or deny Peterson’s impeachment, but did praise her nearly two decades of coaching service.
“Under school policy, HPA does not comment on employment issues,” Perry’s email read. “We are forever indebted to Coach Sharon Peterson for her selfless service, humble leadership and positive energy over the past 17 years. Coach Sharon is a volleyball icon in Hawaii and the nation, and we are so lucky to have her direct our programs. Sharon’s knowledge of the game and passion for teaching has influenced two generations of student-athletes and coaches at HPA and in our league. We honor Sharon for all she has given to our community and for her amazing career achievements. She is a real champion.”
Noting that she felt overwhelmed by the shooting, Peterson left little doubt that coaching is still in her heart.
“Even though it’s been more than 50 years, I still love coaching,” said Peterson. “I felt I was doing well with the students by teaching life skills in addition to volleyball skills.
“To be sent without warning by Mr. (Steve) Perry to be fired because I’d never gotten a negative evaluation before, I was just blown away. I hope the school will have a fair and professional policy regarding coach evaluations to prevent this from happening to another coach.”
Peterson has been coaching both the boys and girls at HPA for 17 years.
For the girls, Peterson has won four BIIF Division II championships in 2022, 2013, 2011, and 2010, and has qualified for states 14 times.
For the boys, she completely changed the program, which was once thought of as a winter training sport for football, winning four BIIF Division II titles in 2018, 2017, 2015, and 2012, the program’s first championship, taking HPA to states 10 time.
Peterson was a seven-time player of the U.S. national team, playing in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and 1968 in Mexico.
She played in the 1967 Columbia Pan American Games, 1971 Canada (gold medal), and the World Games in Japan.
She was a seven-time American Volleyball Association All-American and the National Player of the Year in 1969 and played in the International Professional Volleyball Association from 1975-78.
At UHH, Peterson retired with seven national titles and racked up more than 500 victories from 1978 to 2002. She was five-time national coach of the year.