At first glance, incoming Punahou baseball head coach Kenny Harrison may not appear to have a lot in common with outgoing coach Eric Kadooka.

Harrison, 40, is an extroverted sports fan who works at ESPN Radio. The bespectacled Kadooka, an engineer, had a studious, grizzled look. Yet, the two have always shared a common denominator: They’re both obsessed with baseball.

Yesterday, Punahou announced the hiring of Harrison, who assisted Kadooka last year.

"I’m a passionate guy. I’m an emotional guy. I love life and I’m always happy," Harrison said. "We’re both similar in our passion for baseball and coaching kids."

Harrison coached at University High, his alma mater, "for a couple of years" when he wasn’t helping out at Punahou. He returned to coaching two years ago with the Buffanblu.

"We are thrilled to have Kenny join our team," athletic director Jeaney Garcia said via a press release. "He brings great expertise and passion to his coaching, and we look forward to his contributions in continuing Punahou’s tradition of excellence."

At Punahou, probably more than any other school in the islands, winning is the bottom line for any head coach. Kadooka led the Buffanblu to an unprecedented seven state championships in a row during his 11-year stretch as head coach. Upon his decision to leave the program, Kadooka noted that having the energy and time to devote to the team was a major factor. Ultimately, however, Kadooka felt confident that his successor would be in position to step in without excessive difficulty.

"The program is bigger than one person," he said on Aug. 12. "As an alumni, I’m proud of what we did. I’m willing to pass it on."

On the record, Kadooka didn’t endorse any of the applicants for the position, but behind the scenes, it was well known that he enjoyed a strong bond with his staff, including Harrison.

"I’m not going to recommend anybody," Kadooka said at the time of his departure. "I’d like to see somebody, but that’s not my place."

Harrison was Western Athletic Conference player of the year in 1993, a first-team All-America selection. He is general sales manager at ESPN Radio. The former slugger was the coach of Punahou’s intermediate team in 2009. Now, he’s in charge of Punahou’s varsity, JV and intermediate teams. Finding time to lead the program will be a challenge, but he’s optimistic.

"I’ve got good game plans in place as far as my coaching staff supporting me. I’ve got good support from my work. I’ll be able to be there on time. I kind of have my own flexible hours of work. Our bosses believe in us and having our lives outside, and that’s part of what we do," said Harrison, who has five sons with his wife, Kaleka.

"You have to have balance in your life. My wife, God bless her, she said, ‘This is a great opportunity, so don’t not do it.’ "

Punahou has ace Zach Muenster and third baseman Rick Nomura returning this year. Kainoa, Harrison’s oldest child, is a returning catcher with the Buffanblu.

"I’ve got to see what kind of chemistry we’ve got. Nobody’s won a spot yet," Harrison said. "Our goal as a staff is to get these kids to the next level, and if we all work hard, winning will come."