Paul Kamikawa resigns as Rockwood basketball coach
Paul Kamikawa saw the light at the end of the coaching tunnel after the 2014-15 season, but couldn't leave the program on a losing note.
Instead, the Rockwood High School boys basketball coach mentally recharged for another run, helping the Tigers rebound from a 6-20 finish to reach the Region 2-A tournament. They were competitive enough this season, finishing 12-17, for Kamikawa to formalize on Monday his resignation from the position he held for more than two decades.
Kamikawa, who will remain the school's athletic director, finished 488-398 in more than 20 seasons with Rockwood's boys or girls basketball teams.
He coached only the boys since 2000-01, after an extended stint with the girls, and led the Tigers in 2004 to just their second state tournament berth. The other came in 1976.
'I'm not really sure how long I was head coach,' Kamikawa said with a laugh. 'I'm 57. I'm just tired. I've been doing it in some capacity for 37 years. I'm just worn down. Nothing else. Nobody's forcing me out. I couldn't leave after last year, we were 6-20. I couldn't go out like that. This year, I had great kids, we made it back to the region. I'm going out on my terms.'
Kamikawa, who graduated from Rockwood in 1976 but did not play on the state title team, said he told his wife midseason he was considering retirement. He notified Rockwood administrators and school board members before the school's spring break.
'They told me to think about it, but I had my mind made up,' Kamikawa said, before joking: 'I'm not doing it to bond with my son. He's a high school sophomore, he doesn't care about me. My wife will probably want to kick me out of the house.
'They tried to convince me to keep coaching.'
Kamikawa said the search for his replacement already is underway.
Chris Thomas covers high school sports. Follow him at twitter.com/prepxtra.