Pearl City High School baseball coach Gary Nakamoto has stepped down after three highly successful seasons at the helm, citing health concerns.

Nakamoto, 63, guided the Chargers to a stunning 43-2 record in O'ahu Interscholastic Association play, including three straight league championships. They will take a 34-game OIA win streak into next season; their last league loss was a 7-6 defeat to Campbell on April 15, 2008.

Nakamoto took over the program following the 2007 season, replacing longtime coach Mel Seki. Before that, Nakamoto spent 15 years as Pearl City's JV coach, guiding the Chargers to seven OIA titles and four runner-up finishes.

Nakamoto also spent 30 years coaching in Pearl City's youth baseball program, taking Senior Little League teams to the World Series in 2005, 2006 and 2008.

"It was a tough decision to walk away," Nakamoto said, "but I have to take care of my health issues first."

Pearl City athletic director Reid Shigemasa said Nakamoto is widely respected in the community not just for his winning teams, but also for his character and principles.

"I never had any complaints about him, because everybody knew what kind of guy he is," Shigemasa said. "Everybody knew that he made all of his decisions for the team and for the kids."

Shigemasa said he is accepting applications for the varsity head coach position through June 11.

Interested applicants can e-mail a resume and cover letter to Reid_Shigemasa/PCHIGH/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us

CAMPS

Hawai'i Baptist Academy will hold its 16th Annual Eagle Hoop Camp June 8 to 11 at the HBA gym. Lead clinicians will be former UH-Hilo and Adidas ABC coach Jimmy Yagi and former UH-Hilo all-star guard and Hawai'i Tribune-Herald sports editor Bill O'Rear. The camp is open to all boys and girls entering grades 4 to 12 this fall. It will be divided into two age groups. Daily sessions will be 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for grades 4 to 8 and 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for grades 9 to 12. For information, call the HBA athletic office at 564-0327 or e-mail camp director Keith Sugiura at ksugiura@hba.net. Registration forms are at www.hba.net.

Hawaii Island Hoops is accepting applications for its College-Prep Basketball Camp, from May 31 to June 4 at the Kekuaokalani Gym in Kailua, Kona. The camp is for boys ages 13 to 20. Cost of the five-day camp is $350 and includes college coach/player instruction from NCAA, NAIA and JUCO level, evening college-prep seminars on academic requirements, financial aid and athletic recruitment. Applications and registration can be found online at www.HawaiiIslandHoops.com. For more information, contact director Andy Smith at 808-937-3082 or e-mail Director@HawaiiIslandHoops.com.

Performance Basketball Clinics' "Building the Shot" — The Fundamentals of Shooting the Basketball — will be held on May 29 and 31 at the Maryknoll Community Center's Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium. The first session is from 8 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and the second session from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Clinic is open to boys and girls ages 7 to 18. Also, PBC's six-week summer clinic will be held on June 5, 12, 19, 26, and July 3, 10. The youth session runs from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. each Saturday and is open to boys and girls ages 7 to 11. An advanced skills session for boys ages 12 to 18 runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The girls' advanced skills session will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For information or to register online, visit www.pbclinics.com or call 396-0055.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com