WAILUA — When the pigskin is kicked at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, football fans will be introduced to 8-man tackle football, said Brad Hiranaka, coach of the Lihu‘e Bulldogs and president of the Kaua‘i Youth Football. “This is the first time
WAILUA — When the pigskin is kicked at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, football fans will be introduced to 8-man tackle football, said Brad Hiranaka, coach of the Lihu‘e Bulldogs and president of the Kaua‘i Youth Football.
“This is the first time Kaua‘i will get to see and experience 8-man football,” Hiranaka said. “The fields have already been striped for the new format.”
The Lihu‘e Bulldogs, newly formed during the 2009 football season, will be hosting the Westside Hawaiian Warriors from O‘ahu in the first American Youth Football bowl game at Vidinha Stadium, Saturday.
“Our Westside Warriors is the original Big Boyz team which was founded in 2004,” said John Frederick, founder and head coach for the Warriors, in a release.
During that year, Frederick also founded the Big Boyz league which allowed young players from 10 to 15 years old and weighing up to 300 pounds to play tackle football.
“None of these Big Boyz and Girls could ever play tackle football in the limited weight Pop Warner Football, or the Independent, limited weight, Island Youth Football league,” Frederick said.
Kaua‘i Youth Football program was started in 2009 under the leadership of Hiranaka after the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League voted to suspend its Midget division for the 2009 tackle football season.
After being approached by players and parents, Hiranaka organized the Kaua‘i Youth Football League for players up to 15 years old based on the American Youth Football league concepts.
When the gates to Vidinha Stadium open, Saturday, Hiranaka will be fielding an 18-player roster for the Lihu‘e Bulldogs against the Westside Hawaiian Warriors.
“The game, because it is in the 8-man format, will be played on a smaller field, usually 80 feet by 40 feet,” Hiranaka said. “Now that soccer is over, Vidinha Stadium has already been striped for this format.”
Frederick said 8-man football is a lot less expensive than 11-man football, or the traditional format being played.
“Less equipment, less coaches, less uniforms, less game officials, less transportation expenses, and a smaller field mean we can practice and play our games at any park or area,” Frederick said.
Additionally, 8-man teams need a minimum of 16 players which makes it great for smaller student body schools or communities, the Warriors coach said.
“The game is very exciting and fast, high scoring, and players get to play both ways,” Frederick said. “Once the 11-man kids play the game, they love it. Our game with the Lihu‘e Bulldogs will be historic being that it will have a lot of Big Boyz players who could never play Pop Warner because they weighed too much. It will also be the first 8-man tackle football game to be played on the Outer Islands.”
Hiranaka said admission to the first-ever 8-man football game at the American Youth Football bowl game is $3 and there will be a food booth serving up shoyu chicken.
“We are super excited about our upcoming 8-man game with the Bulldogs,” Frederick said. “We are very fortunate and grateful to have a guy like coach Brad who has the courage and Aloha for your Kaua‘i kids and the game of tackle football to host this ‘history-making bowl game.’”
Frederick is hopeful fans will embrace this new format and possibly start an 8-man league here.
Hiranaka said signups are being accepted from young people interested in playing spring tackle football, either 11-man, or 8-man. Applications and more information are available by visiting the Kaua‘i Youth Football Web site at www.kauaiyouthfootball.com.
Both the Kaua‘i Youth Football and the Big Boyz league are members of the American Youth Football program, the largest youth football organization in the world.
•Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
