LIHU‘E — Following two weeks of no play, the Triple K Strongman 9 on 9 football games returned Friday night at Vidinha Stadium.
Armed with the latest in COVID-19 restrictions issued by government officials, coach Teddy Arroyo and his crew of volunteers allowed spectators inside the stadium in a socially-distanced format on the home side of the stadium.
“We have certain guidelines to follow,” said Arroyo. “But we can allow spectators in, so parents can watch their kids play.”
Adding to the crowd, the neighboring baseball field was hosting a Protect Our Nation’s Youth baseball game, also under the lights.
Football games are played on half of a field, with teams taking possession of the ball from midfield and marching to the end zone via passes and ground advances on pass receptions. When a touchdown is scored, the point-after touchdown is almost always a pass play too.
Games are approximately 30 minutes, running clock, which allow as many as six games on each outing, including three games with junior varsity-aged youth and three games with varsity-aged young athletes. The different public high schools are represented by the Unit in blue, the Red ‘Ohana, and Triple K in white.
The “9” comes from the ability of two linemen to rush the quarterback, making the quarterback having to elude defenders while reading downfield defenses for passes.
Under the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association guidelines during the pandemic, teams and coaches are not allowed to use state Department of Education equipment or facilities for their respective play in sports.
This is in effect until mid-June, when the restrictions, barring any new developments, will be lifted with the start of football practice on school grounds.
There are two more outings for the Triple K Strongman program. Friday night’s games start at 5 p.m. for the JV-aged teams.
There is no food booth due to the COVID-19 rules, and admission is $5 per adults.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
I’ve never been more insulted in my life. I know a little about the community. But this group that you’re going with sports and fans, does not bring any income in for the community as a whole. They make no dent in politics and in the community. Speaking up for the businessmen, you’re not getting one dime from me to fund your community projects as this. Night outs at Vidhina Stadium. Find the funds from somewhere else.
Junk. Do you know how many graduates came out of school since 1977? A lot. And of all the graduates, I think if you pick a coach, that coach represents only the few. + or – his graduating year. This would be in the 1980s. So if you look at how many get noticed or is noticed by the athletic club, not a lot. I’m not sure what these night outs are trying to accomplish, but it seems to me that the athletics club, which is you guys, is trying to reach out to the community and make this football thing into something. I’m from a line of travelers. People I know like to go traveling. Just last year the people I know and few others from where we live, came back from New York City and they visited where the world trade center used to be and where they had that incident where the airplanes crash into the twin towers. Be mindful of the community. If you’re using these events to bring in something for your high school. I don’t think that the community subscribe to high school events. This is not going to happen. I think they’d rather spend their money on their own interest and on somewhere else.