LIHU‘E —The Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League is on target for their typical early-August start.
KPWFL President Teddy Arroyo told The Garden Island the logistical elements were being worked out with the regional and national governing bodies of the league.
Arroyo, who had discussions with Wescon’s Pop Warner Vice Regional Director Steve McGinnis, felt good about the direction of his conversation with McGinnis.
“He was very positive that we were going to have a season,” Arroyo said.
Though Arroyo believes Pop Warner will have a season, off-island travel will likely be prohibited because of safety concerns related to potentially contracting COVID-19.
“Right now, we are writing our guidelines, and working with whatever the state of Hawai‘i gives the county, and whatever the county, with Kaua‘i parks, requires,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo and the league are working out the guidelines for parents and coaches at this time.
They want to ensure everyone in the league is streamlining together to meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Pop Warner guidelines and the county’s safety protocols.
“We would love to have spectators, but we need to make sure that following social distancing is the No. 1 thing,” Arroyo said. “Right now, we are working together to make sure everyone meets the requirements.”
Most likely, spectators will not be allowed to attend the Pop Warner games.
The details of this are still being worked out.
If they go without spectators, they will look at various streaming platforms so the families of the competitors can still watch the game.
Lenny Rapozo, head of the Kaua‘i Officials Association, is working with officials to ensure they understand some of the new safety guidelines.
The league is also considering playing 7-on-7 games, a competitive, non-contact way to play football.
It is an all-passing league, played on 40-yard fields plus the end zone, and allows scoring on both offense and defense.
This format is favored at high school competitions as a way to limit the contact during the summer season while still getting reps at game speed.
Arroyo anticipates changes between now and the start of the season, both at the county and federal levels, relating to safety-protocol regulations.
Pop Warner is currently allowing two and a half hour practices, per national Pop Warner rules. That is three or four times a week, and they are looking to take longer hygiene breaks, washing hands more frequently and taking longer water breaks.
Arroyo said he is pleased with the work of Mayor Derek Kawakami and what the County of Kaua‘i is doing to ensure everyone’s safety.
“The parents of Kaua‘i Pop Warner are moving forward for Aug. 1, but anything can happen in the second wave,” Arroyo said. “As of right now, we are planning on a regular-season schedule. We also know that is a long way away, and anything can happen as far as cutting the season short.”
Fernandez named Academic All-American
KPWFL player Brennan Fernandez was named to the Pop Warner Wescon Academic All-American Top Scholars honors.
Fernandez, an 8th-grade student at Waimea Canyon, was the only KPWFL player named to the national team.
“We put more emphasis on things than just football. We emphasize scholastics, family, and we are very proud of the All-American winners,” Arroyo said. “It is quite an honor to be able to represent the 808 state and understand what it takes to be a student-athlete on the field.”
Arroyo said the Pop Warner league tries to prepare kids for the academic expectations of high-school competition.
“In high school, they have stringent academic guidelines,” Arroyo said.
Blaine Agena, KPWFL commissioner and academic coordinator, is proud of the players who achieved the honors.
The national recognition showcases the importance of academic achievement.
“This is an honor for him to win this award,” Agena said. “It exemplifies both academic excellence in the classroom and the community.”
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Jason Blasco, sports reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.
