LIHU‘E — Kathleen and Kelsey Cadiente will be two of the seven Hawai‘i representatives to the Hershey’s Track and Field competition that will take place in Hershey, Pennsylvania on August 8. The Cadiente family is no stranger to the Hershey’s
LIHU‘E — Kathleen and Kelsey Cadiente will be two of the seven Hawai‘i representatives to the Hershey’s Track and Field competition that will take place in Hershey, Pennsylvania on August 8.
The Cadiente family is no stranger to the Hershey’s competition, starting with Kevin who started the string of trips to Pennsylvania by competing in the 11-12 age group, and returning with a 6th place finish in the 200 meter run.
Kevin, who will be a junior at Kaua‘i High School when school begins, has been an inspiration to his sisters, mom Gina Cadiente of Lihu‘e said.
Kathleen, who has been running since five years old, followed in Kevin’s footsteps, making the trip in 2001, competing in the 9-10 age group, and returning with a gold medal.
Kelsey, who qualified for the first time this year, will be joining Kathleen on the trip as she makes her debut on a national level in the 9-10 age group. Kelsey’s invitation completes the Cadiente circuit as she becomes the third child in the family to make the trip.
Kathleen will be competing in the 11-12 age group this year.
Jerry Refamonte of the county’s Parks and Recreation department will be accompanying the girls on their trip, and anticipates a good performance from the duo, although he admits the pair will be competing with some athletes that are far bigger than the girls.
Gina added that the petite girls are no strangers to competing against bigger athletes, noting that Kelsey’s soccer team competed well against a pair of California squads on Maui for the Hawai‘i Cup that had players far bigger than the Kaua‘i team.
Refamonte noted that this is the first year that Kelsey was eligible for qualification, although she has ran last year and posted top times for her age group, but was too young to advance to the state competition.
The seven Hawai‘i delegates include four girls and three boys, two coming from Kaua‘i, one from the Big Island, and four from O‘ahu who receive all expenses paid trips to Pennsylvania.
Refamonte said the athletes had to qualify at the age group state meet before being considered for the national competition as representatives from the region which includes states like California and Nevada.
The Cadiente sisters, in being invited to the Hershey meet, posted the best times for their respective age group in the region, Refamonte noted.
As the pair ran, hopped, and bounded up the stairs at Vidinha Stadium under the watchful eye of coach Refamonte, mom Gina reflected on her children’s prowess on the track.
Gina said she used to run track at Farrington High School, but never made it to a national competition, a feat that her three children have now achieved. Gina’s arena of competition included the 100-, 200-meter, and the long jump.
Despite her three children qualifying for the national competition, Gina admits that she has not attended a single meet because she said, she would not see the children until they come out on the field.
Gina said the athletes are housed in a dormitory, and Hershey Food Company takes care of all of their needs – food, entertainment, and even a tour of the Hershey candy factory.
Refamonte, who accompanied both Cadiente athletes on their trips, said the group is greeted with a display of Hershey chocolate candy upon deplaning at the airport, an aspect of the trip that extracted a comment from Kelsey, “Ooh, I gotta bring lots of money! Don’t worry. I’m not going eat the candy there, I’m bringing them home!”
“It’s our big feet!” Gina laughs with a pride that will accompany the two girls to Pennsylvania when they leave on August 6.
