LIHU’E — Women’s football will get its official start on Kaua’i this Saturday when the Hawaiian Wave visits to play the Kaua’i Thunder. Game time is 5 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium. The Kaua’i women will be joined by some players
LIHU’E — Women’s football will get its official start on Kaua’i this Saturday when the Hawaiian Wave visits to play the Kaua’i Thunder.
Game time is 5 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium.
The Kaua’i women will be joined by some players from Maui.
The idea to form a women’s team on Kaua’i came when Kaua’i’s Nancy McMahon heard that O’ahu was forming a team.
She suggested to John Frederick, the organizer on O’ahu, that a tryout also be held on Kaua’i.
At first, only a few women showed up, but the number began to grow.
Head coach Ted Dawson, who coached by himself for six weeks, now has three assistants.
There’s 21 players from Kaua’i and 10 from Maui.
Mayor Maryanne Kusaka has been a booster. She made a contribution and she has allowed the team to use the stadium, according to Dawson.
Dawson will be trying to get the players out into the community to help in volunteering efforts.
Saturday’s opponent — the Hawaiian Wave of O’ahu — is actually a pro team that will be touring the nation next year.
Eventually, the Kaua’i Thunder could go the same pro route.
Island Pride, another O’ahu team, makes up the three-team Hawai’i Women’s Football League.
“One thing we want to do for our players is to make sure they make it there to the pro ranks,” coach Dawson said. “It’s going to be hard, but they can do it.” The women on the Kaua’i team range in age from 18 to 49 and in weight from 114 to 318 pounds.
“When I walk on the field, I get nervous,” Dawson said.
“They’re intimidating.” Dawson is proud that his players don’t have to pay out of their own pockets like the other teams in the league.
“There are no dues,” he said. “The pads and helmets are provided through fundraisers, and everybody has a quota to meet and they need to pull their fair share.” The Kaua’i Thunder will wear black pants and purple shirts and helmets. The team logo is a pegasus.
Dawson saw the Hawaiian Wave in an intra-team scrimmage and says they’re “very good.” He thinks they’re the team to beat.
“I’m not saying we can’t do it, but we need to step up our pace,” he added.
The coach said a band from Kapa’a will be there at the game along with cheerleaders.
Dawson is high on his group of linebackers who he feels are the hardest hitters in the league.
“They’re vicious and fast,” he said.
“We also have a wide receiver who is the female version of Jerry Rice with good hands and crisp routes,” he added. “And everybody in the league is talking about our offensive line. They’re big and tough, and it will be hard for any team to just push us over. Defensively, we’re on key too, and it will be hard to score on us.” The team practices Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Peter Rayno Park in Hanama’ulu.
The coach said 400 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s game.
“We’re expecting more though,” he said.
“I’d be happy with 800 to 1,000, and I know my expectations are high.”
