They packed everything away until next year, all the bats and balls, the volleyball nets, soccer goals and all the rest. Some of the coaches are watching state high school tournaments, trying to spot a recruit who may have avoided their gaze, other coaches are taking time off.
The athletic department at the University of Hawaii at Hilo is almost vacant this time of year, a relative ghost town by comparison to the hub of activity it has been since last August.
Almost, that is, except for the elephant in the room, the elephant that administrators prefer the public doesn’t see, but it is an elephant each of the 220 athletes involved in the 12 sports are aware of, an elephant that each of the 11 coaches may think about more than the students.