Kanoe Bandy began her career at Taft College in 1987 as a Business Instructor and Women’s Volleyball coach.  In 1994 Taft College dropped the entire athletic program.  Because Kanoe’s main teaching responsibilities were in the Business Department, she was retained by the college. 

In 1996, the volleyball program was reinstated at the college.  Kanoe returned to volleyball and took on the responsibility of Athletic Director whose main task was to reinstate the athletic program.  As many know, working in a small school means you “wear many hats” and take on many responsibilities. In addition to coaching Volleyball and serving as the Athletic Director, she has also served Taft College as the Associated Student Body Advisor, and is currently the Division Chairperson for the Applied Technologies division. 

Kanoe’s main passion and crazy obsession is working with students and coaching the Women’s Volleyball team.  Kanoe has had the honor of being named the Central Valley Conference Coach of the Year 7 times and Nor Cal Regional Coach of the Year for 3 consecutive years in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2005, Kanoe was honored as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northern Regional Coach of the Year and was also honored at the Awards Banquet at the AVCA Convention in Kansas City in 2010 for her 400th AVCA win. She was honored in 2015 with a Coaching Achievement Award by the California Community College Coaches Associations (CCCCA).  She is most proud of her 2001 and 2017 teams who won the CCCAA State Scholar Team Awards. The 2017 team had a overall Grade Point Average of a 3.43.  Kanoe is still coaching volleyball and has over 550 career wins.

These honors did not come easy.  The old cliché, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” has held true in Kanoe’s volleyball coaching career.  Over the years Kanoe has lost 2 players in car accidents, one to a drunk driver in 2001.  “Just when you think you can’t do it anymore, you have a player ask: ‘Coach, what happens to us if you quit?’.”  To begin the healing process, the volleyball team sponsored the Knock Out Drinking and Driving Campaign on campus.  Kanoe worked hard to get the team back on track, then her sister and assistant coach, Keali’i Pearl was diagnosed with bone cancer just prior to the 2004 season.  After battling the disease for 16 months, Keali’i passed on October 10, 2005.  Being the care giver to her sister, Kanoe still had the volleyball team maintain their normal practice and game schedule.  The team went on to win 3 consecutive conference championships in 2003, 2004 and 2005, completing their best season in 2004, finishing 4^th in the state.  Keali’i was and continues to be the strongest source of inspiration for Kanoe and truly taught her the passion of the game. 

Kanoe has been the Secretary/Treasurer to the California Community College Women's Volleyball Coaches Association for the past 22 years.  Kanoe is a Taft College representative on the Central Valley Conference Board of Directors and CVC Planning Board Chair. She also served on Management Council as the representative for the sport of Water Polo for 6 years and returned after a short time off as a representative of the coaches associations.  She is now the Management Council Chair and serves on the CCCAA Board of Directors, the governing body for California Community College Athletics.  She also serves as the Membership Chairperson and Treasurer for the CCCADA.  As the Athletic Director, Kanoe received the 2012 Professional Award by the California Community College Athletic Directors Association (CCCADA).   She also just had the honor of receiving the Under Armour National Athletic Director of the Year this year and had the opportunity to go to Orlando Florida in June to receive the award.

Kanoe received her Bachelor’s Degree from Fresno State University and has a Masters in Business Administration from California State University, Bakersfield.  Kanoe’s husband Don is a retired History Instructor, Football, and Softball Coach.  Together, Kanoe and Don spend their free time playing golf and following their son, Stewart, who is working on his Masters degree in Bio-Chem.