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New scholarship to help Vulcan hoops
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Jimmy Yagi and Jeff Law
By Bill O'rear
Tribune-Herald Sports Editor
Published: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 9:27 AM HST
Former University of Hawaii at Hilo basketball coach Jimmy Yagi has been involved with the school for almost 50 years and understands the true meaning of the word "student" in student-athlete.
"Sports can be such an important part of a student's education, but working to achieve academic excellence also is critically important," Yagi said. "We believe excellence in one helps the other and vice versa."
"We believe Vulcan athletics can help bring new focus to academic excellence -- and help to raise standards on campus at the University of Hawaii at Hilo."
To "raise the bar," the 74-year-old Yagi is helping fund a competitive and prestigious academic scholarship for the UH-Hilo men's basketball program, in which he was the highly successful coach for 12 years before his retirement in 1985.
The new academic scholarship is called the "Coach Jimmy Yagi Basketball Scholarship." It will provide a Vulcan student-athlete with a stipend of $7,500 at the NCAA Division II university.
"We have a unique situation now -- and a great opportunity -- for people to step forward and help the basketball program to flourish," Yagi said.
The former Vulcan coach explains Chancellor Rose Tseng has committed to match funds donated for the scholarship dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000.
"For example, when you donate $25, it'll double with the Chancellor's offer and put $50 in the new scholarship fund," Yagi said.
"With our new athletic director, Dexter Irvin, coming on board and the state budget tighter than ever before, it's a great time for people in the community who have benefitted over the years in any way from UH-Hilo to step up."
Yagi and his wife Jeanne have started soliciting donations for the scholarship. They contributed $15,000 and with their family's support, have already raised another $10,000.
"The university is the biggest economic engine on the Big Island, and it plays an important role in our community," Yagi said. "We have a wonderful opportunity to help it succeed.
"I've been involved with the University of Hawaii at Hilo for most of my adult life. That involvement has enriched my life and broadened my outlook. I want to honor the institution for its role in my life."
Yagi is seeking help from UH-Hilo alumni and the community.
"To create this new scholarship and to build a solid funding base for it," Yagi said, "I want to invite everyone who has enjoyed and been helped by Vulcan basketball or the Vulcan Basketball Camp to join us.
"You can help by giving something back. Every donation, whether it's $5, $25, $100 or more, every dollar helps, and with the Chancellor's commitment, your money doubles right away."
This is not the first time that Yagi and his family have helped fund a scholarship at UH-Hilo.
When Yagi retired as the UH-Hilo basketball coach, the family established a scholarship in his father's name which later was named for both his mother and father.
Last year, the family gave $25,000 to create a new Yagi/Nishida scholarship that honors Jimmy and Jeanne Yagi's parents and benefits Big Island high school graduates at UH-Hilo.
Yagi has also been involved for the past 20 years in an all-academic basketball team program that annually honors student-athletes, boys and girls, who participate and study at Big Island high schools.
The latest plan by Yagi and his family will help the UH-Hilo men's basketball program under veteran coach Jeff Law.
"To be eligible, a student must meet all applicable NCAA requirements," Yagi said. "Award eligibility will be established by each student-athlete's performance in the classroom during one full-time year at UH-Hilo."
Under the scholarship's guidelines, "Students must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher while participating throughout a season of basketball as well as taking and completing a minimum of 30 credits toward graduation -- 15 per semester.
"The team member earning the highest gpa and meeting these eligibility requirements will be awarded the Yagi scholarship."
"The scholarship stresses the importance of recruiting basketball student-athletes with potential for high achievement in the classroom," Yagi said.
The Coach Yagi Scholarship will also provide the men's basketball program and the coach with one additional scholarship, this one based on the high academic performance.
Yagi said the new scholarship "will also provide student-athletes on the team with the opportunity to compete for an award based on their academic achievement."
If the scholarship had been available this past season, Law said he had two players who would have been eligible.
The Coach Yagi Scholarship would be awarded annually at the end of the year, based on academic achievement during the year. The award winner would be determined by the athletic department's academic advisor, the head coach and the athletic director.
A GPA tie would be broken based on the level of courses taken and completed, character, etc., Yagi said.
Law is thrilled by the additional scholarship.
"I'm very happy about the scholarship and to see that it gives other kids an opportunity to get their degrees," Law said. "It's a special opportunity stressing academic excellence and stands for what Jimmy is all about and what the scholarship is all about."
Anyone can donate to the new Coach Yagi Scholarship by writing a check to the "University of Hawaii Foundation" and mailing it to the Coach Yagi Scholarship, c/o UH-Hilo Office of Development, 200 West Kawili Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4091.
There is also an online giving site that you can use at http://www.uhf.hawaii.edu/YagiScholarship.
Anyone can donate to the new Coach Yagi Scholarship by writing a check to the "University of Hawaii Foundation" and mailing it to the Coach Yagi Scholarship, c/o UH-Hilo Office of Development, 200 West Kawili Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4091.
Giving back
The "Coach Jimmy Yagi Scholarship" will benefit the UHH basketball program, with an emphasis on academic excellence. The awardee will need to carry a 3.5 GPA and pass 30 credits a year.