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Lahaina Chiefs need more players

By Staff | Aug 16, 2012

Lahaina Chiefs head coaches for the 2012 season include (from left) Bobby Chang, Kalama McEwen, Morgan Montgomery and Leon Gomes.

LAHAINA – Lahaina Pop Warner Football needs you!

With the kick-off to the 2012 Maui Pop Warner Football Association season coming up in two weeks, the leadership of the Lahaina Chiefs organization is concerned about the small roster numbers currently on record for the youth sports program.

Peewee Division head coach Kalama McEwen reported that all four of the Chiefs teams – Tiny Mites, Junior Peewees, Peewees and Midgets – are close to the roster minimum of 18 eligible players.

“We’re barely making the number of players required, and we need more kids to come out,” he said last week from the practice field at Lahaina Recreation Center.

“Most of our teams are at about 18 right now, and we’d like to get that up to 25-35 players per team if we can.”

McEwen leads the Peewee Division team for players weighing 75 to 120 pounds and nine to 12 years of age, Bobby Chang is the head coach of the Midgets for ages 12-15 and 105-120 pounds, Morgan Montgomery will guide the Junior Peewees at 60-105 pounds and 8-11 years old, and Leon Gomes is the head coach of the Tiny Mite Chiefs of players 35-75 pounds and 5-7 years of age.

U’i Kua’ana is in charge of the Chiefs cheerleaders. She is looking for an assistant at least 18 years of age as well as more girls to form the cheer squads.

The Chiefs teams will play a ten-game schedule and a Turkey Bowl match-up during Thanksgiving weekend to culminate the season. Division champions will be eligible to compete in the state playoffs in Honolulu with a chance to advance to the national playoffs in Florida after that.

A scrimmage format Jamboree will take place on Sept. 2 at War Memorial Stadium to kick-off the season.

The Chiefs will host four home games, and the remainder of the schedule will be played at the “Pit” at Keopuolani Park, at Kulamalu Upcountry and in Kihei at Kalama Park.

“We will have a meeting with the mayor to talk about more games at the stadium, but as of right now, we will be allowed to use the stadium field for the Jamboree and the Turkey Bowl, and the Pit will be used for the league games,” Coach McEwen explained.

He went on to say that the Chiefs’ treasury is in good shape with a teri burger fundraiser planned for the Maui County Fair in October.

“We’re still looking for sponsors, as we are a nonprofit organization and most of our operating monies come from the parents and families of the players,” he noted.

Registration is $85 per player for the Midget, Peewee and Junior Peewee divisions, while the Tiny Mite cost is $55.

Interested families are urged to come down to the Lahaina Recreation Center Field Mondays through Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m. to grab a physical examination form, then return it with last year’s fourth quarter report card.

Each team has its own business manager to see. They are Kimmy Chang for the Midgets, Ka’ui Cross for the Peewees, Athena Cajudoy for the Junior Peewees and U’i Castro for the Tiny Mites. Call 870-8936 for information.