Maybe it’s because he’s used to reclamation projects or perhaps it’s genetics.
Gene Krieger’s wife does joke that he’s a bit of a ham bone, after all.
Whatever the case, UH-Hilo’s first-year coach said he has a way of being able to grin and bear unsightly outcomes on the volleyball court.
“I have a tendency to grimace and people think the grimace is a smile,” Krieger said. “People ask me why I’m always smiling, but you can’t tell my smile my grimace.”
That’s not to say the 60-year-old coach expects to be masking too much pain this season, though the ability could come in handy after taking the reins of a program that is coming off five consecutive losing seasons and said goodbye to the bulk of its production from 2016.