Landon Castro represents the spirit of being a Pearl City High School Alumni. He is a graduate from the class of 2000 and proud of it. Currently, Castro serves as an assistant coach for the junior varsity football team and also as an assistant for the track team as the shot put and discus coach.
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Photo By: Barry Villamil / [email protected]
PCHS Track & Field assistant coach, Landon Castro at Pearl City High School.
He will be leading his shot put and discuss throwers on Thursday, April 22, 2010 to compete at the prestigious Punahou Relays. Following that competition will be the OIA Championships.
Castro lettered in both football and track while at PCHS and still looks like he can suit up in both sports some ten years later. As the junior varsity o-line coach, his players play with an intensity and determination that is a reflection of his personality. He gets the same results from his track & field athletes.
Most of all, his student athletes respect him as their coach and mentor. He has set his sights on shaping their futures. Teaching them the same principles his mentors did while a student athlete at PCHS. Integrating lessons learned as they relate to competitive sports and life beyond PCHS.
Maybe someday they too will have the opportunity to come back to their alma mater and contribute to the success of Pearl City High School far into the future.
Mahalo to Landon Castro for coming home to PCHS!
Q: How has it been for you as an alumni, coming back to Pearl City High School as a coach?
A: “Pride. That’s the one word that I can think of is Pride. Like our motto; Excellence with Honor, always come back and help out the community and team and whatever I can do. I started out as a volunteer and now as paid coach it's awesome.”
Q: Are there any coaches or staff at PCHS from your high school years that have influenced you?
A: “Mr. and Mrs. Bicoy. They always said community and family is the key to helping out everybody.”
Q: How many throwers on the team for the 2010 season?
A: “All together with two girls, twenty seven."
Q: How have the girls done so far?
A: “The girls are actually doing pretty good. Our junior varsity girl, our freshman, she qualified for the OIA shot put and discuss and the varsity girl, senior, first time thrower qualified for Westerns."
Q: Boys team?
A: “Kuso Coen qualified for OIA discus. Dave Lefotu qualified for OIA discus and Kawika Foumai, Ikena Castro and Cyrus Coen, shot put and discus for Westerns."
Q: How do you guide your athletes for life after PCHS?
A: “No matter what they do as long as they succeed in what they do, that’s the main thing. I want to make them feel and realize, like the road I didn’t go and should have went. I hope to point them in the direction of college, career and just do the best you can with everything you do.”
Q: Would you say that football players make excellent throwers on the team?
A: “It’s a lot easier for football players to come in and throw because a lot of it is more strength and technique. I get them lifting everyday. Strength is a big, big key for the shot put and discus. They are better than what I was in high school and it's pretty awesome watching them.”
Q: How has DI Football prospect and current thrower on the team, Dave Lefotu done so far this season?
A: “He’s everyday in the weight room and training hard. Running with the team and stretching. He is like a perfectionist too. He likes to make sure it’s correct and he asks me questions all the time. I help him out. He’s a natural talent.”
Q: Are there any high school throwers from other schools that you have seen that is an example of the proper strength and technique needed to be successful in the sport?
A: “One key guy is Lawrence Lagafuaina from Aiea. He was runner up in states last year as a junior and this year he actually has the farthest distance for both shot put and discus so I always tell them to watch his feet, watch the way he balances out.”
Q: You are also an assistant football coach for the Chargers junior varsity team. What’s the difference between coaching football and track?
A: “Football is a team sport. If they don’t work together it doesn’t fall through. Track is all individual, teaching each one individually how to get their steps for what they do better. Football I can teach all of them the same thing and all together at one time. They need to work together.”
Q: Any teachers at PCHS while you were a student that have made a difference in your life today?
A: “Two actually, math teachers, Ms. Sumstine and Ms. Tavares. They pushed me and told me that I could. That’s the main thing. At first I didn’t believe them and realize that I could. I would like to tell them thanks. I think they are still here at the school.”
Q: Where do you see yourself down the road, five years from now?
A: “Coaching wise, I like where I am at. I like assisting and just helping out.”
Photo By: Barry Villamil / [email protected]
Team members: (left to right) row 1 -Johnathan Basilio, Jarick Duvauchelle, Justin Lum-Osborn. row 2-Justin Nicolas, Levi Cacho-Estoesta, Noah Derby.row 3 – Dave Lefotu, Marco Gonzalez, Kainoa Oneha, Tyrin Besas, Kody Maxwell, Kaya Chong. row 4 – Rodnad Theodore, Keola Long, Makana Cuarisma, Chayse Tagalog, Cyrus Coen. row 5 – Coach Landon Castro, Isaac Mursburgh, Ikena Castro, Kawika Foumai, Kuso Coen, Fa'au'u Moeone. Missing from photo: Jillian Seminara, Jayden Zadlo
Photo By: Barry Villamil / [email protected]
Coach Castro (3rd from left) watching his junior varsity o-line against Kalani H.S.