In the public eye, David Hallums wore green on the basketball court.
At heart, he bleeds purple, which is one reason why Pearl City hired the former University of Hawaii hoopster as its new football head coach yesterday.
"There’s a lot of school pride and I’m definitely excited. But I’m humbled, very humbled," Hallums said Monday. "I talked with my brother, Kalani, and it almost overwhelmed me how much people care about Pearl City."
Hallums, 45, will replace Kai Kamaka, who was 18-12 in three seasons as the Chargers’ coach. Kamaka was released by the school following a year of ups and downs: a run to the Division II state tournament marred by player suspensions due to on-field conduct.
"I know there’s a lot of controversy with what happened with Kai. I can guarantee you all the drama’s going to be done," said Hallums, a law enforcement officer with HPD.
He is still a presence in the media. For years, Hallums has done color commentary on radio, and was recently hired as a color commentator by OC Sports for UH men’s basketball.
He plans to meet with returning players soon.
"We hope to match what Kai did. I loved what they did on both sides of the ball. Once everything settles, the guys won’t see drastic changes," he said.
Hallums intends to retain two assistants: offensive line coach Sean Na‘auao and junior varsity coach Guy Paredes. The latter is a former teammate of Hallums’ at Pearl City. Hallums has stayed in contact with Kamaka since his release. Kamaka had expressed an interest in staying on staff.
"He brings a lot. He’s a great coach," Hallums said. "I’ve had many conversations with Kai. But for now, there’s a mutual understanding. … We’re planning to start from square one. I wish him the best."