LIHU‘E — The members of the Kawaihau Big League All-Stars know they have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to make it to the Big League World Series. On Saturday, that work started with washing cars.
LIHU‘E — The members of the Kawaihau Big League All-Stars know they have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to make it to the Big League World Series. On Saturday, that work started with washing cars.
Members of the team, comprised of 16 to 18 year olds from around Kaua‘i, manned two different car wash stations, one in Lihu‘e, the other in Waimea, in order to raise money to send the team to Washington State for this week’s Big League Regionals. The team will also run another carwash today at the Lihu‘e Chevron beginning at 9 a.m.
Head coach Kirk Correa said the team is looking to raise around $25,000 to send the 15-man roster to the tournament.
“We’re nearly two-thirds of the way there,” Correa said, “so it’s looking pretty good so far.”
The regional tournament, which is one step away from the World Series, starts next Saturday hosted in Seattle, Kitsap and Bremerton, Wash.
The Kawaihau team is fresh off winning the Hawai’i Big League State tournament and features a team chalk full of talent, although Correa said people wouldn’t be able to tell by how they act.
“We’re a very happy-go-luck team,” Correa said. “All of these kids are very humble and they know their roles. If we need somebody to lay down a bunt, we lay down a bunt.”
The tournament on the Mainland is sure to feature teams with exceptional talent, Correa said, but his kids know what to expect. In fact, several members of the Kawaihau team have experience against Mainlanders, including centerfielder Taran Tani.
Tani, a Kaua‘i High School graduate, was a member of the NAIA World Series winning Concordia University Irvine team. Although Tani was a redshirt during the season, the competition he saw in practices and with him teammates was much higher than he was used to.
“The talent over there was just so high,” Tani said. “I think that experience is going to help me a lot in this tournament.”
Tani said he’s looking forward to the trip to Washington, and then hopefully South Carolina for the World Series, because it will give him some good playing time before heading back to college in Southern California.
“The (Concordia) coach seemed to like me last year,” he said. “So hopefully is will work for next season.”
The Kawaihau All-Stars first game is Saturday against a team from Northern California. The team will then face teams from Oregon and Nevada to finish up pool play. The top two teams from the pool advance to the bracket round, which is single elimination.
Correa said his team is ready and that he expects a good showing, but in the end, baseball is a game that can go either way.
“Our guys know what’s coming,” Correa said, “but baseball is a strange game. Sometimes you need some luck on your side.”
