From novels to kneepads: Meet Pete Barraza
This year, Pete Barraza became the new head coach of Samo’s Boys’ Varsity Volleyball team and the coach of JV Girls’ Volleyball. He is also the AP English Literature teacher and a 10th grade English teacher. Barraza works at Punahou Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii, during the summer, where he has past experience as a volleyball coach and has worked in the English Department. He was an outside hitter in high school and has coached both boys and girls for about 10 years at the JV and varsity levels. Barraza discusses his goals for the volleyball season.
Pete Barraza, Contributor
“My hope is that the student athletes have a successful season measured by the cultivation of skills, game IQ and the kind of team dynamics that foster healthy and meaningful competition,” Barraza said. Barraza tries to be realistic about what he can achieve in scheduling around his teaching and coaching jobs, plus the time consuming job of being a dad to his 7-year-old son. While he has learned how to manage his time to make sure he keeps up with reading for in class discussions, he has found a lot of crossover as a teacher and a coach.
Barraza is thankful for the coaches and mentors around him, namely Liane Sato, the head coach of the Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team, and Rick Toon, his mentor at the Punahou Academy in Honolulu. He reflects on the JV girls’ season as it comes to an end, after which he will be able to dedicate more time to the Boys’ Varsity team.
“Being an educator in the classroom allows me to transfer that mentality of teaching onto the volleyball court,” Barraza said. “I’m fortunate that several of the varsity members are current students in my AP Literature course, allowing for an ongoing conversation around both volleyball and academics.”
“I’m pleased with the way the girls have enjoyed and trusted each other’s role and space on and off the court,” Barraza said. “It’s been a pleasure working with the girls this fall, and I’m excited for my new role as head coach of the varsity boys team this coming spring…”