WAIMEA — In professional sports, a head coaching change when a team is at its peak is nearly unheard of. And even in high school athletics it is still a rare occurrence.
However, events come up in life that force people to deal with change and with Richard Braithwaite leaving with his family to teach English in Malawi, Africa, Hawaii Preparatory Academy was in need of a coach to take over a program that has won three consecutive state titles — two in Division II and one in Division I.
Cue James Berry, an assistant coach for the past two seasons with the girls soccer program at Hawaii Prep. Berry, who is from South Africa, will step into the role as boys head coach. With Berry’s hire, athletic director and girls soccer coach Steve Perry not only gets someone familiar with the the soccer program, but who’s family is part of the fabric of Ka Makani athletics with his wife, Heather, serving as the school’s full time athletic trainer.
“I took my time to decide if this would be a good fit for me and I put my name in the hat,” Berry said. “I had a meeting or two with Steve, he offered me the job and I jumped on it.”
But Berry knows the jobs comes with expectations and following Braithwaite will not be an easy task.
“I have some big shoes to fill. Richard did a fantastic job and we have a heavy top class coming in,” he said. “We also have a lot of boys coming from club coaching and they will be strong. I will try my best to keep the tradition alive.”
Forming a bond with the youth soccer clubs around the island was something that Braithwaite knew would held build soccer on the Big Island. Berry shares those same ideals and has a close connection to the Kona Crush, where he has served as a coach since moving to the island in 2014.
“Right when I got off the plane, I met with (Director of Coaching) Vinny La Porta and former president Taylor Easley, and they offered me a position and I took it,” Berry said. “I have been with the club ever since.”
Berry is currently coaching a youth 13 boys team, which he is taking to Europe this summer.
Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, Berry came to the U.S. on a college soccer scholarship. He later moved to South Carolina where he was the head soccer coach for two public high schools and a private school. He also coached various youth soccer teams.
Berry moved to Hawaii in 2014 along with a friend who started the HappyFeet Hawaii program, which went into day cares to promote “story time with a soccer ball.” This quickly led to his work with Kona Crush and then his transition back into high school soccer, where he helped Perry win two of the team’s last five Division II state titles.
“I am excited to have JB take over the boys program,” Perry said. “He has been a wonderful asset the last two seasons as my assistant coach with the girls team. I know he will be a great leader for the boys, both on and off the pitch. His passion and his expertise, as well as his ability to read the flow of the game will prove valuable to all of the boys.”
Berry will get plenty of help in his first season at the helm of the boys team with several starters returning, including BIIF Player of the Year Jake Schneider. Schneider led all of Hawaii last year in Division I with 19 goals. He also led the team in assists.
“Players like Jake Schneider, Sihekea Jim and Tage Boyette are role models and understand the value of helping the underclassmen,” Berry said. “They will help the program continue to build and grow even after they are gone.”
Berry, who was hired nearly a month ago, has already met with several players and parents and has noticed a lot of interest in the program from the community.
“Everything has been positive,’ he said. “I want to be a part of the success of this program and the boys, both in and out of the soccer arena.”
Dan Wilkinson, who served as an assisant coach under Braithwaite, will return as an assistant under Berry. Berry is just the sixth boys soccer head coach in the school’s history.