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Latest news

Second online forum for Safe Sports 808 is on Friday afternoon

By Paul Honda on January 14, 2021

A second community virtual forum on Zoom is scheduled for Friday, 5 p.m., on the issue of bringing youth and high school sports leagues back on Oahu. The forum is hosted again by City Councilmember Andria Tupola, a backer of Safe Sports 808. Former Hawaii football great Chad Owens is another key to the group, which is working on a plan that will be submitted to Mayor Rick Blangiardi by Monday. Owens announced the formation of Safe Sports 808 earlier […]

Safe Sports 808: Resolution to bring sports back to Oahu marches forward

By Paul Honda on January 12, 2021

They called Chad Owens a superhero of sorts back in the day. The former Hawaii and pro football player was “Mighty Mouse” back then as he dominated competition on the turf at Aloha Stadium. Now, he’s an activist on behalf of high school student-athletes. Owens announced the establishment of “Safe Sports 808” on Tuesday afternoon. This comes just days after the former Hawaii standout gave his full support to son Chad Owens Jr., a Moanalua football player who began a […]

Long debate ends with KIF cancelling fall, winter sports

By Paul Honda on January 12, 2021

After roughly a week of deliberation, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation has cancelled postponed fall and winter sports. Despite having the lowest COVID-19 case numbers in the state, administrators opted to follow the rest of the leagues in continuing to keep high school sports closed until spring season. The KIF went nearly a week after beginning talks amongst athletic directors and principals. Other public-school dominant leagues — the Oahu Interscholastic Association, Maui Interscholastic League and Big Island Interscholastic Federation — needed […]

Hope for prep sports? Tupola, Blangiardi on tiers and flexibility

By Paul Honda on January 9, 2021

Diligence and persistence matter in high school sports, COVID-19 pandemic era. While Hawaii maintains some of the lowest rates and numbers in the nation, the state’s high school student-athletes and the communities that support them are bearing the brunt of complete cancellations. State restrictions and a City and County of Honolulu tier format — both are factors according to Oahu Interscholastic Association Executive Director Raymond Fujino — continue to draw large-scale discussion across the islands. Fujino declined to comment on […]

Coaches, players reeling after BIIF principals ax fall, winter sports

By Paul Honda on January 8, 2021

The Big Island Interscholastic Federation made it official on Thursday as principals voted to cancel fall and winter sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league’s athletic directors had voted to cancel two days earlier as case numbers increased after the holiday season. The BIIF followed in line with the Oahu Interscholastic Association and Maui Interscholastic League. “This hurts my heart,” said Konawaena girls basketball coach Bobbie Awa, who has guided the Wildcats to nine Division I state crowns. Several […]

Coaches unsurprised, disappointed as MIL cancels fall, winter sports

By Paul Honda on January 6, 2021

The Maui Interscholastic League is the latest of the state’s five high school leagues to cancel sports. The MIL announced on Wednesday that it has cancelled all fall and winter sports, including football and competitive cheer. Those two sports were slated to begin in the spring after being postponed. Air riflery, basketball, bowling, competitive cheer, cross country, paddling, soccer, swimming and diving, and wrestling — all done for the 2020-21 pandemic year. “I think it’s because of all the challenges. […]

BIIF ADs vote to cancel fall, winter sports

By Paul Honda on January 5, 2021

Falling in line with the public-school Oahu Interscholastic Association, athletic directors in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation voted on Tuesday to cancel fall and winter sports. The BIIF, comprised mostly of public schools, will take the athletic directors’ recommendation to a principals’ vote on Wednesday — which is almost always a mere formality. That means no air riflery, basketball, bowling, competitive cheer, cross country, paddling, soccer, swimming and diving, and wrestling. In addition, previously postponed sports that were originally pushed […]

Poll: Coaches optimistic about bowling, swimming, less so on wrestling

By Paul Honda on December 15, 2020

Finality is not here, not quite yet in the strange year of 2020. While vaccines for the COVID-19 virus are being flown across the country, high school sports in Hawaii remain on hold. Leagues are waiting on bated breath for word — and approval — from the Department of Health. Coaches across the state are optimistic about the chances for outdoor sports like soccer and swimming/diving, according to a Hawaii Prep World poll. Eighteen winter-sport coaches, roughly half of those […]

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