A six-day span of cooking prowess among the leaders of the State of Hawai'i's intercollegiate athletic directors came to a close Monday with Chaminade University Director of Athletics
Bill Villa showing off his skills with a skillet – or his case, a pan.
Villa, who is the longest tenured active athletics director in Hawai'i, was challenged by Hawai'i Pacific University Director of Athletics Sam Moku. Villa came up with his 'Swords Ohana Pork and Squash' which "was handed down to me by the old friends of the Silversword ohana," he said.
The week-long demonstration, known as the Hawai'i AD Grindz Challenge, began on May 19 with University of Hawai'i Hilo Director of Athletics Patrick Guillen kicking off the competition with his "Mother's Fried Chicken." Guillen challenged University of Hawai'i athletics director David Matlin who served up his recipe for "Chicken As Good As It Gets." Matlin in turn passed it to HPU's Moku who made his "Mauna Kea Loco Moco." Moku then issued his challenge to Villa.
"I'd like to thank the Silverswords ohana and our student-athletes for what they do for us at Chaminade," Villa said. "We appreciate you and miss you at this time and look forward to when school reopens again and you return. And we're also thankful to our boosters and sponsors for what you do for Chaminade throughout the year."
The challenge was created to help the fans and communities around Hawai'i take their minds off the COVID-19 pandemic for a moment and for the ADs to have some fun in the kitchen.
"I want to congratulate my colleagues in the Hawai'i AD Grindz Challenge," said Villa who is retiring in June after 12 years as the director of athletics. "I think everybody did a good job and I have to say the Hawai'i athletic directors are a great group to work with and I appreciate all that they do."
"I also want to give thanks and appreciation to the first responders who put your lives at risk to help save us and we want to thank you in the many areas of responses that exist," Villa said. "Thank you for your kindness and the giving of yourselves to our community."
All four AD cooking challenge videos can be viewed in the links above.
