Moanalua High School has made recent local news this past month, but not in the way most expected. On the evening of Dec. 4, an unexpected violent attack occurred outside the Moanalua High School gym following a pre-season basketball game. Security camera footage outside of the school gymnasium captured this moment: a parent spectator who also works as a corrections officer, Aukusitino Noga Jr, assaulted new Moanalua High School assistant athletic director, Natalie Iwamoto. During the game, Noga became upset because of the officiating, leading Iwamoto to believe she should walk the referees to their cars where Noga, and his wife were waiting on the path to the parking lot. The footage displays the couple aggressively confronting Iwamoto and the referees outside of the gymnasium, then Noga punching Iwamoto in the face as she backed up away from him. Iwamoto then fell unconscious and was left on the ground for 10 minutes following the attack. 13 minutes later, police officers arrived and arrested Noga for second-degree assault.
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Noga has since pleaded not guilty to the assault charge and his trial has been scheduled for Feb. 9. On Dec. 17, Noga and his wife appeared at a court hearing, where Iwamoto secured a temporary restraining order on the couple, preventing further harassment. The couple were also banned for life from all Department of Education properties in Hawai’i. Additionally, Hawaii News Now reported that Noga’s wife, Jamielee Noga, was arrested on the morning of Dec. 23 on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening. She is currently being held without bail.
As a nation, have spectators of youth sports become more aggressive over the years? A 2023 CBS News article says yes, “there has been an uptick in aggression among parents at youth sports games across the country”. It also turns out that “since 2018, more than 50,000 high school referees have quit, citing the actions of parents in the audience.” If this is the case, a cultural reset is needed. Parents and spectators need to remember enrolling their child in a sports program is a chance for their child to learn a skill and engage in healthy physical activity and join a community with other children their age, not a chance for parents to let off steam and criticize others trying to help youth sports.
Here on O’ahu, Moanalua High School, along with 29 other schools make up the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA). The OIA’s mission statement is “promote unity and cooperation amongst the member schools in the establishment and administration of policies and regulations for implementing an interscholastic athletic program. The association shall stress educational and cultural values, promote skills in competitive activities and foster sportsmanship and mutual respect.”
Further, the statewide Hawaii High School Athletic Association stresses sportsmanship for all parties as well. “…sportsmanship is not only the responsibility of the student-athlete. Coaches, parents, spectators and school faculty and staff all have to be on the same team when it comes to sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is a goal we all should aspire to. Let’s play the game with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect and a sense of fellowship with our competitors, coaches, officials and spectators.”
Here are a short list of what spectators should do at sporting events:
- Remain positive
- Respect officials and coaches
- Be supportive
- Applaud both teams
- Understand game rules
- Use appropriate language
In conclusion, violence and aggression have no place at Moanalua High School or any other school campus or sporting event. Officials and school staff members should be able to do their jobs and come to work without fear of being attacked. It is paramount that parents of student athletes and other game spectators keep in mind that athletic directors, referees, coaches, and other school officials are regular people who are deserving of respect. Inappropriate behavior, such as heckling, aggression, and poor sportsmanship are never tolerated during sports games. At the end of the day, these games are about dedication, improvement, and fun. Violent behavior should never undermine that.
Maybe the ILH, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, says it best: “Let the players play, let the coaches coach, let the officials officiate. Please cheer with aloha!”
Sources:
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/12/24/wife-man-who-allegedly-punched-school-official-arrested/
https://hhsaa.org/resources/campaigns/sportsmanship
https://www.oiasports.com/about_oia
http://ilhsports.com/sportsmanship-in-the-ilh/
