Cockett girls’ basketball
By Pat Bigold
coach at Kamehameha
Star-BulletinClay Cockett, the father of University of Hawaii women's basketball star Nani Cockett, has taken over as head coach of the Kamehameha Schools' varsity girls' basketball team, the Star-Bulletin has learned. Cockett, 51, had been an assistant to recently terminated head coach Al Apo since the 1988 season.
That included all five seasons that the Warriors won state championships (1988, 1990-1993). Nani Cockett was on the last four championship teams.
"I never thought about being a head coach before," said Cockett. "But I'm excited about it."
Cockett is a sergeant in the Honolulu Police Department's crime reduction unit. He has been with HPD for 30 years.
He was an all-star forward for Kamehameha and, at 6-foot-3, played the same position in the 1963-64 season for Red Rocha at the University of Hawaii.
Cockett said he selected Dennis Agena and former Wahine player Jen Kaeo as his assistants.
Agena is well known for his Kalakaua Recreation Center basketball clinic.
Cockett said Kaeo was chosen for her technique and style, as well as her ability to communicate on an emotional level with young players. She played her high school ball at Waiakea.
Cockett said he will coach fundamentals and "look to push the ball up the floor a lot."
The core of Kamehameha's 1997 team is composed of seniors Risse Hodson, Leslie Kiaha, Shannon Searle, and Kimela Keahiolalo.
