Kapaa releases Coach Philip Rapozo, hires Mike Tresler

(Adds Mike Tresler's quotes, 3 p.m.)

Longtime Kapaa football coach Philip Rapozo led the Warriors to five Kauai Interscholastic Football titles in a six-year span. 

Rapozo is no longer the head coach. In an unusual set of circumstances, he was ultimately released by administration after Kapaa lost to Lahainaluna in the Division II state final. He coached six years as an assistant, and six as head coach. Four times, the Warriors reached the D-II state final. 

“I had four shots at the state championship. Maybe somebody else can get it done,” Rapozo said. “I’m good with that.”

Mike Tresler, 51, is the new head coach. He was a defensive coordinator under Rapozo until 2017. 

"It's exciting. With our group of coaches, we do this for the kids. We want to help them get to college, have opportunities to play college ball and, of course, education is a big part of it," Tresler said. "Our (coaching) family has always stuck together and it's our chance to do things our way."

Kapaa principal Tommy Cox, a former head coach who once led Kauai to a KIF football title, handled the transition. 

"What Coach Phil did here, we were super blessed to have him for the last six years. Five championships in the KIF, multiple appearances in the state championship game," Cox said. "With Mike, I know that he'll be able to carry that on with his knowledge and his background. He has coached for many years. Having a shot as a head coach, his knowledge, his connections he has will give our students other opportunities to move on to the next level. We had a number of players who went to the next level during Coach Phil's tenure and I know Mike will be able to do that."

Last season, Kapaa was 8-2, including 6-0 in the KIF for a fourth-consecutive league crown. 

Under Rapozo: 

2014: 7-2 (6-0, KIF champion)

2015: 9-1 (6-0, KIF champion)

2016: 8-2 (5-1, KIF champion)

2017: 4-4 (2-4, KIF runner-up)

2018: 7-2 (5-1, KIF champion)

2019: 8-2 (6-0, KIF champion)

Total: 43-13 .768. Five KIF titles. 30-6 in KIF play. 

State tournament

2014: Def. Pearl City. 30-22. Lost to ‘Iolani, 29-24 (semifinal). 

2015: Def. Lahainaluna, 24-0 (semifinal). Lost to Radford, 30-16 (final).

2016: Def. Damien, 21-14 (semifinal). Lost to Lahainaluna, 21-14 (final).

2017: Did not qualify.

2018: Def. Kaimuki, 20-12 (semifinal). Lost to Lahainaluna, 34-32 (final).

2019: Def. Kaimuki, 35-28 (semifinal). Lost to Lahainaluna, 21-10 (final).

Technically, Rapozo never submitted a letter of resignation. Late in the season, he mentioned to administrators that he was leaning toward stepping down at the conclusion of the year. Rapozo later changed his mind. One more season, he said, would have given him and his staff the cushion he wanted to usher in a new head coach and provide continuity. However, the wheels had already begun to spin at the administrative level. 

Two of Rapozo's assistant coaches applied for the head coach position. None of the previous assistant coaches were retained by Tresler, a former Hawaii defensive back. 

Rapozo is one of the most transparent coaches in the state over the past decade. That unfiltered aspect probably got the wheels going administratively. Then it was too late. 

“I was exhausted already. Maybe getting to state championships and not getting it done took a toll on me. I just felt like it was time for me. I was told, when the time comes, you’ll know. Things didn’t go the way I hoped,” he said. “We changed the culture, and it started 12 years ago with Coach (Kelii) Morgado. I think Kapaa’s going to be around for a long time.”

The Warriors consistently did community service projects. They cleaned up after floods, helped with Special Olympics, did charity walks. 

“People don’t realize so many life lessons and experiences come through football,” Rapozo said.  

He has no regrets.

“I get really good relationships with those coaches. We all became friends. A lot of respect,” he said. “I made some new friends. It was a great experience. A lot of fun. I also lost some friends. I had to coach their kids. They missed practice. They didn’t play. I cut my own nephew because of his attitude.” 

After watching Waimea, then Kauai, dominate KIF football for decades, expectations at Kapaa have changed with success. 

“Kapaa, we have 10 (total) championships in 70 years. But everybody wants more. They’re not satisfied. They forget where we came from,” Rapozo said. 

Next season, whenever that may be depending on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warriors will be loaded in the trenches with young talent that has matured. With four-time D-II state champion Lahainaluna officially moving up to D-I, the door is open for Kapaa. Last fall, Rapozo ended up in the rental car of Lahainaluna’s coaches as they went from the airport to Aloha Stadium on the day of the coaches' press conference. 

“Lahaina leaving definitely opens the door for a lot of teams. We’ve played them three out of the four years in the state championship. Just like Kamehameha-Maui, maybe they’ll be in the state championship and win a title. Lahainaluna’s coaching staff, that’s some really good coaches with so much experience. They’ve been together for so long. They don’t look that old, but you look at their resumes, (co-head) Coach (Bobby) Watson still looks young. Don’t let that gray fool you. He’s got 40 years already. They get their system, but they tweak it and bring it up to par. Last year, they threw the ball more than they ever did, but out of their wing-T,” Rapozo said. 

“They change with the times, especially defensively. That staff is one of the top staffs in the state. They have consistency. They put Dean (Rickard as co-head coach) in there, they don’t miss a beat,” he added.

The Lunas were potent, but had their share of heartache over the years in the D-II state tourney before becoming the dominant program. Kapaa appears next in line, but Rapozo is cautious. 

“You can’t count on that either. It’s just something that you got to keep plugging away. If you go in thinking, we got this now that Lahainaluna left, you will face good teams in every division. D-II was a good division for years. Somebody else will step up and challenge Kapaa, whoever it may be. It’s going to be something to see, what happens,” he said. 

Now, Rapozo and his wife can devote more time to family. Nadine Rapozo has looked after many a keiki on the Garden Island. She’s as close as it comes to being a saint, in the coach’s eyes, always there to support the team and the players. Now, he spends much more time with his grandchildren and at his auto repair shop. 

“Nadine and I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this. I’m good. I’m enjoying my grandkids. One of them didn’t even know me. They live with us. I get up, I go to work, get to the school for practice, come home and he’s in bed already. He didn’t know me,” Rapozo said. “Now I can’t get the guy off me. I’m enjoying that. I’m enjoying my family. Part of me is torn the way this whole thing went down, but I’ll be all right. Just looking forward to moving ahead.”