The PCA Blog - Hawaii

Looking Back on the Inaugural Dick Tomey Legacy Fund Benefit

10.14.2019

On August 20th, PCA held its inaugural Dick Tomey Legacy Fund Benefit in Honolulu.

The dinner helped raise money for the Dick Tomey Legacy Fund, established in May of this year to honor the impact and legacy that Coach Dick Tomey made throughout his coaching career. All raised funds are utilized to underwrite scholarships and programming in Hawaii for underserved programs or organizations that cannot readily afford PCA Training for their coaches.

Coach Dick Tomey was never petty, never small minded. He was a man who discovered his mission in life, embraced it, enjoyed it, and accomplished amazing things. When speaking of football, he often said, “Football is not complicated. People are.” He was always, first and foremost, a people person. 

His family had this to say about him:

“On the football field he was a tough as nails coach, who loved fierce competition and the thrill of team-building. He loved his players, every single one of them—always...Off the field Dick was a beautiful human being. His was a loving spirit. He was a natural leader, a natural teacher. His gift of oratory was legendary.”

Tomey's first head coaching job was in 1977 at the University of Hawaii, and his spirit and passion for his teams and the community left an unwavering legacy to the place he called home. He believed in the power a coach can have in a young person’s life, and the impact a positive youth sports experience can carry over into everyday life.