The North Shore Lions, known throughout the community for its great Pancake Breakfast, shared its roar with the Kaua‘i Police Activities League summer basketball league.
Lion Jay Furfaro represented the Lions in presenting a contribution to Kaua‘i Police Department’s Lt. Ken Carvalho to help with the K-PAL summer basketball league which wraps up Saturday with a pair of goodwill games starting at 10 a.m.
Games were played between eight teams covering from 5 years old through 10 years old, including an all-girl 8-10 team coached by Heather Devin, a teacher at Kilauea School.
Bill Troutman, a North Shore Lion and coordinator of the spring basketball program which also falls under the K-PAl umbrella, said the idea was to continue the spring basketball program with lower cost to the players due to the economy.
Caroline Troutman, Bill’s daughter and a coach during the spring league, took over the reins for the summer program and approached community businesses and organizations for help.
“We felt as if with difficult economical times, and less families able to afford vacation time, our young ones will need more to keep them busy,” Caroline wrote in a solicitation letter. “As such, we are really trying to keep the costs down, charging $10 per player. We know that this will not be able to cover all costs, but K-PAL wants to keep the cost to families affordable.”
Caroline said there were about 180 young players participating in the league that played Saturdays at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
“The K-PAL basketball league emphasis is social interaction, sportsmanship and teamwork,” Caroline said in her letter. “The program teaches the fundamentals of basketball, but the objective is fun.”
Kristen Chase coaches the Kilauea Wolves, one of four teams in the 5-7 year old age division. Jacelyn Milbrand leads the Red Tigers, Chris Huser is at the helm of the Rangers and Philip Baclayon, well-known for his coaching at the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball/County of Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a High School arenas, heads Hanakila, another familiar name in the KYBA league.
The Electrics is the all-girl team in the 8-10 years age group led by coach Devin. Koa Cabebe sits at the head of the Lakers and Baclayon holds a Hanakila squad in the 8-10 group as well. Junior Gacusan is the coach of the Hanalei Poi Pounders, a name that overflowed from the Kaua‘i Soccer Association field.
“The children playing in the league benefit greatly from this program,” Caroline, a coach from the spring program, said. “We have noticed a remarkable improvement in behavior and schoolwork.”
Saturday will see the K-PAL North Shore summer basketball league wrap up with a goodwill tournament starting at 10 a.m. A second game will start at 11 a.m. at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
