The team roster includes (from left): front — Micah Bodick, Jack Gleeson, Justin Gonsalves, Aiden Navarro, Taj Mohrman and Hoku Arnold; back row — Coach Mario Balagso, Jaxson Doss, Jaxen Navarro, Laiton Pascual, Ozzie Serle, Jeremiah Laguyan, Trasyn Nava and Flynn Williams.

LAHAINA — He is one of the golden, unsung pillars of our West Side community who has contributed continuously for decades in supporting the youth of Lahaina.

For some 35 years and counting, Mario Balagso has nurtured keiki under the care of the West Maui Youth Athletic Association’s various sports programs.

Since 1987, Coach Balagso has mentored tirelessly in Little League Baseball and the West Maui Youth Basketball League. Most recently, he has assumed the leadership position with the Lahaina Menehune League team, the middle school age group, after three-and-a-half decades of coaching all levels in the model keiki basketball program and at the high school junior varsity level as well.

Balagso steps in for Lahaina legend Al Dasugo, himself the tireless coach and official of the WMYBL and the Menehune team in particular. Over that span, Coach Al has established the Lahaina program as a perennial championship contender for the Valley Isle league.

Now Balagso takes over and will be assisted by Shaun Nava in leading the team through the pandemic-twisted season. Lahaina will compete with teams from Wailuku, Kahului, Maui Lani, Kula, Upcountry, Kihei and Wailea for the Maui Menehune League 2021 title. All games will be played at the sparkling new Kihei Community Center.

The team roster is made up of returning eighth-graders Hoku Arnold, Flynn Williams and Trasyn Nava, as well as Jaxson Doss, Ozzie Serle, Laiton Pascual and Jaxson Navarro.

Returnee Aiden Navarro leads the seventh grade student-athletes along with Justice Gonzalves, Taj Mohrman, Jack Gleeson, Mikah Bodick and Jeremiah Layugan.

Coach Balagso described the team as having great potential with good team speed and ball handling skills.

“We’re a small team and we lack experience, but the leadership of the eighth-graders will make up the heart of the team. We’ve got some good shooters, and we will work on building better fundamentals,” he said.

Lahaina currently holds a 4-2 record heading into the championship tournament slated for Nov. 22-24 at KCC. Kahului currently tops the league standings with Lahaina climbing up to challenge the leaders down the stretch and into the playoffs.

“It’s been a long road from the Tiny Mites on up to the high school, and I’ve really enjoyed the ride,” said Balagso last week. “I truly appreciate all the parental help all through the years, and especially the support and encouragement from my family, my kids Heather and Davin most of all.”

Dandy Don Rosenthal, who helped form and guide the WMYBL to become a model youth sports program throughout Maui County, hailed Mario Balagso as one of the greatest contributors to the children of the West Side in saying, “He (Balagso) is one of those good guys that every down home community has. He touched so many lives in coaching all those years in the league. We just love him so very much.”