Jon Conrad is the new athletic director at Lahainaluna High School, after serving as interim A.D. for the past five months. COVID-19 protocols have made his job difficult, but Conrad said, “As bad as all this is, there is no place I’d rather be.”

LAHAINA — After working year-round for over two decades in the sports programs at Lahainaluna High School, Jon Conrad has been officially named to the athletic director position at the historic campus here on the West Side.

Conrad had served as athletic trainer, assistant athletic director (to recently retired A.D. Scott Soldwisch) for 11 years, and as interim athletic director over the last five months.

He came to Lahainaluna 23 years ago to fill the vacated athletic trainer’s position after graduating from Springfield University in Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Athletic Training.

Coach Jon traveled from his home in Maine across the Mainland and then the Pacific to arrive here in Lahaina to serve the Luna athletes.

“I was really excited to get this job,” Conrad said last week.

“It’s a lot of work and an adjustment to the different cultures here, but I’ve gotten tons of support from the coaches — Bobby Watson, Eric Sodetani and the entire football staff — and from the community. People like Tanya Arakawa and Clifton Akiyama. They all really opened the doors for me. And the work ethic that my Dad instilled in me has taught me to get the job done with what you have.”

Coach Jon is also the Maui Interscholastic League’s basketball coordinator who had to deal with COVID-19 protocols and mitigation policies in getting the regular season schedule in as well as the post-season tournament.

“I just tried to keep it running within the guidelines from the MIL and the county,” he explained.

“A lot of it was following the COVID rules; having no family fans was a big loss for the kids. But the primary job of the A.D. is the health, safety and welfare of the kids. That is number one with this job.

“It’s been a rough, complicated three months for all of us. We’re all experiencing COVID fatigue, but it’s the world we’re living in right now. The coaches, the administrators — all are working hard, but all are exhausted.”

Ever the focused individual, Conrad concluded that, “We just want to teach the kids to give back to the community that supports them wholeheartedly –especially the 65 years old and over generation. We want to get the younger families more involved. Help the kids learn respect, work ethic and determination to help make the environment better. This is what makes this place so special. We want to carry this on.”