As reported by Ferd Lewis and Nick Abramo in Tuesday’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, a possible 10-team super league composed of OIA and ILH football teams is being discussed and is expected to be voted on soon by both leagues.
A compelling feature of the deal, called the “OIA-ILH Football Alliance Proposal,” includes $3 million in support from the business community. The money would be divided up by all of Oahu’s football-playing public schools, not just the ones in the proposed super league, evenly over the three-year term of the proposal for use in not just football-related activities.
The proposal also includes a rule forcing transfers to sit out for two years. Juniors would not be allowed to play at the junior varsity level and athletes would have to hold a grade-point average of at least 2.0.
Should this go through, it is likely that ILH schools Saint Louis, Punahou and Kamehameha would join forces with Kahuku, Farrington, Kapolei, Mililani, Waianae and Campbell and one other, possibly Kailua, Leilehua or Kaiser. Under the proposal being considered, the OIA would choose which seven schools would play in the super league, which is being called the Open Division.
The proposal also calls for 10 Oahu teams (OIA and ILH combined) in Division I and nine in Division II, and a three-division state tournament.
What say you? Is this what high school football on Oahu needs? Which 10 teams should comprise the super league? Comments are welcome below.
And if you missed it, here is Nick’s story and Ferd’s column on the issue in Tuesday’s Star-Advertiser.
Bumbuchas … nothing is set on the actual seven schools if it passes. IMO, Kahuku, Mililani, Farrington, Waianae are shoo-ins; Kapolei is “highly likely;” Campbell is a “probably;” and either Leilehua or Kailua. But that is just my opinion.
Maybe the goal is to get the best teams into the state tournament??
Soo what? Where is the injustice? kids get recruited, been that way for ages. if you going get mad at schools, get anger with the parents too, while you at it, get mad at the kid for leaving. there really is no right or wrong in this, it just is.
call me old fashioned, but i just like play, line up a guy in front of US and we going give our all no matter who, how big, where he grew up, how fast, we just play.
Real players have this approach to sports and it transfers to life.
I think they should do the same with Baseball and Basketball.
@phILHarmonic – That mentality is what allow white business owners to become billionaires off the backs of black athletes in the NBA and NFL. Whats happening in the NFL is now happening in college and its trickled down to the high school level with our polynesian kids.
After the D1 HHSAA state championship game that Kahuku beat St. Louis last November, that event must have raised over $280,000, where did all that money go? Did any of the Kahuku players and staff see a penny of that money? NO! in fact the Kahuku kids walked away with banged up legs, hurt shoulders and probably CTE damage to the brain. At least St. Louis players are getting some kind of stipend or tuition waiver toward their education.
Our kids are being used as pawns and the ILH sees the potential in making money off these events by creating this super conference, While our public school kids wont see a penny to their pockets.
^Wait whhaaaaatt? One of the most idiotic comments ive ever read here. Was someone holding a gun to the head of the KHS players and forcing them to play football? Lol. Get Real bruh.
Ok my view is there should be three divisions D1 D2 and D3 outter islands can’t compete cause of number of players very good players just not enough of them. They can still make this proposal but just add a D3 in there please it will benefit everyone thx aloha!!!!
the proposal calls for three divisions
Elitist-
I cant say I know where the money went, I can guess that there was a split between the ILH and the OIA. I can guess that in some shape or form that it is going back into the state and hopefully the DOE.
Kids been walking away from games with banged up legs, hurt shoulders and probably CTE for a long long time. Maybe its time they get something out of it like a scholarship? Tuition waiver? graduate from a prestigious private school?
I do agree with the thought of there is an uneven playing field with the ILH having the capacity to offer a free/discounted price for a private school, but Kahuku proved that isnt always the case, but, i need to say that they is the only exception. it might be a little hard going for the rest of the OIA teams.