Termites getting ready to fly
Coach Pedro Saligumba announced registration for the youth basketball league will start Tuesday.
On Feb. 19 and Feb. 21, officials will be on hand at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center between 4 through 8 p.m. to accept application forms.
On Feb. 23, registration will take place at the Food Court area at Kukui Grove Shopping Center from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Youth aged between 5 and 10 years old are eligible to participate in the basketball program that was known as the Termite basketball program.
Coach Bobby Kamakele said they will be also forming special teams to accommodate youth aged 11 through 13 years old.
Kamakele said this year, the Westside program will be handled by the Kaulupono basketball program in conjunction with the County of Kaua‘i.
Last year, the Kaua‘i Police Activities League stepped in at the last minute to head the program that was started by the county about 14 years ago.
K-PAL, who will be handling the North Shore program, stepped in after concerns from parents that their children would not have a program after learning that the organizers were not willing to continue the program.
Kamakele said the intent of the basketball program for the younger players is to have them play, and in this light, has planned to have the teams in the 5-6 age group play 3-on-3 with a maximum team roster of nine players.
Teams in the 7 to 8 years and 9 to 10 years age groups will play half-court in a 5-on-5 format with a maximum team roster of 10 players.
The special teams for players aged 11 through 13 years old will also play in the 3-on-3 format with a maximum team roster of seven players, Kamakele said.
K-PAL will be heading up the North Shore program where its primary organizer, Bill Troutman said there are about 300 youngsters in kindergarten through 12 years old already registered.
Troutman, who has been spearheading the program in Kilauea for at least 10 years, said this year’s program is very encouraging with eight teams already formed in the K-Gr. 1 (5-6) age group, including one from Anahola.
In the 7 to 8 age group, Troutman said there are nine teams, in the 9 to 10 age group, there are six teams including one from Anahola. The 11 to 12 age group includes six teams with three from Kilauea, one from Anahola, and two from Kapa‘a.
Additionally, Troutman said there is one senior team which has been readily accepted into the program over the years.
Practice for the North Shore program starts on Mar. 1 with the first game scheduled for April 14 starting at 10:30 a.m.
“We have more than 100 scholarships to take care of children on free and reduced lunches as well as multi-children families,” Troutman said. “None of this would be possible without the community stepping up to the plate.”
Troutman noted that among his player rosters are children who are home schooled, attend the Christian Academy and Kula School.
“I’m proud of the number of children who are in the program who would otherwise not have the opportunity to play,” Troutman said. “Additionally, we didn’t have to recruit coaches so vigorously this year. Right now, we have three high school coaches, three teachers, and my daughter Caroline gets to coach for the first time with Mits Yokotake serving as her assistant coach.”
Over the years, Troutman said there have been numerous North Shore businesses, organizations and individual supporters who have contributed funds to scholarship children on free, or reduced lunch and multi-children families.
For more information on the Kaulupono registration, call coach Pedro at 651-0494, or coach Bobby at 634-2524.