Although the same faces will roam the sidelines in the coaching ranks for the Warriors this season, the new head man, Sia Salausa has instilled a new attitude throughout the program this season.
“They’re more disciplined this year. Even the school notices the attitude change; some teachers have made good compliments on their behalf,” Salausa said.
Wes Kaui, the head coach for the Warriors for the past three seasons, stepped down to an assistant’s role, a spot that Salausa manned for many years.
Kapa’a will open its 2005-06 campaign against Hawai’i Preparatory Academy on Saturday at Vidinha Stadium, starting at 7:30 p.m.
“I’m hoping we can win it this year. I have a lot of confidence in my kids, but it really comes down to coaching,” Salausa noted.
The Kaua’i Community Correctional Center employee is a gentle giant, but when he speaks, his players listen.
“I told them that if they screw up this year, there’s no second chances. We’re not going to tolerate anything and if we have to cut a player because of not following the rules, we will,” Salausa said.
Fourty three players are on the Warrior varsity squad this season, which is a little under what Kapa’a usually fields.
The Warriors lost a chunk of their roster due to graduation, but according to Salausa, the key this year is going to be if they can keep their cool under trying times.
“We’ve killed ourselves in the past. At Kapa’a we’re known as the undisciplined bunch, but we’d like to buck that trend and the only way we can do that is to show that we’ve changed,” Salausa said.
If the Warriors are going to change, they’ll have to do it from the start, against HPA on Saturday, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the KIF’s first preseason contest on the island.
Kapa’a travels to the Big Island to face Kamehameha on Friday, August 26.
- Duane Shimogawa Jr., sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or kauaisports@kauaipubco.
