Sonny Tanabe

Sonny Tanabe grew up in Hawai’i where he began swimming when he and his uncle would dive off the rocks off the coast of Hilo. He swam at Indiana University where he made All-American. Tanabe then served in the military and returned to Indiana to earn a masters’ degree in physical education. He remained on the mainland as assistant aquatic director and swim coach at Hinsdale High School near Chicago, but then returned to Hawai’i to teach and coach at Kamehameha Schools for over 33 years. He took up spearfishing as a hobby and wrote the book Spearfishing on the Island of Hawai’i in 2007.