Tsunami players
hope to continue

President wants franchise folded

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

The Hawaii Tsunami head coach and his players have reacted with dismay to the team president's recommendation that the franchise fold.

Tsunami president Greg Kowal, who was at one time an investor in the team, said Tuesday the team should close operations as soon as possible. He said that he is faxing his resignation to general manager Manny Menendez because the team "has no future."

Insufficient cash flow, a shortage of sponsors, poor marketing and attendance, as well as an embarrassing brawl between the Tsunami and the Arizona Saguaro at Pearl City High's field last Sunday have all contributed to the team's latest crisis.

Kowal said he is leaving the date of the franchise's termination up to Menendez, who will return tomorrow from a business trip to China.

Team supporters say Menendez is still holding out hope another sponsor could be found to keep the team afloat.

"I don't want kids to see what happened last weekend," said Tsunami head coach David Trifonovitch. He said the Tsunami have sold many season tickets to AYSO teams.

But he added that his players were severely provoked by a rowdy Arizona team last weekend before the brawl erupted and referees fled the field for safety.

"I don't advocate fighting," said Trifonovitch, a former Castle High varsity boys coach, "but when somebody punches you in the back of the head, what do you do?"

Rena Young, who handles game-day operations for the Tsunami, said the team will go ahead with games Friday and Sunday at Cooke Field against Los Angeles.

Four-year team member Jerry Proctor, who has been sidelined with a toe fracture, said last night he knew nothing about the team folding. "We're play-ing Friday as far as I know," said the 24-year-old Proctor, who was an all-star for Pearl City High School.

Tsunami player Geoff Zawtocki, a former Punahou and Dartmouth soccer standout, said that his teammates, who are unpaid despite their pro status, have been asked to do what they can to recruit potential sponsors.

"Money is tight with corporations," said Zawtocki. "It's a tough time and we're not really sure what we're doing. But hopefully, we can find a way to keep going."

Asked what his salary has been for the team, Proctor said, "I'm not getting paid. Nobody is getting paid."

He said it has been like that for three seasons.

Proctor and Trifonovitch, then a player, both said they were paid half of a $1,000 contract agreement in 1994.

But they were asked to give back that money to help the team survive. Both said they agreed and returned the pay.

"I just love to play," said Proctor.

Proctor said the only pay players ever got was for doing clinics.

He said he did a total of three clinics between 1995 and 1996 for $300 per clinic. There have been none this year.

Trifonovitch now draws a coach's salary.

With 12 games left to play (four on Oahu), the Tsunami are 3-4-1 in the D-3 Pro Division of the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues. They are trying to climb into a top-four position in the division, which would give them a shot at a playoff berth.

But that might be a moot subject if, as Kowal suggested, the team ends its troubled four-year existence this week or next.

Referee Stefan Grabas said he halted Sunday's game at Pearl City High field in the 70th minute of the 90-minute contest after "an all-out brawl" broke out.

Grabas, a 37-year-old chief warrant officer with the Marine Corps, said he already handed out six caution cards to players (two to Hawaii and four to Arizona) and a warning to the coach of the Arizona Saguaro.

"There was a lot of trash talk and several altercations," said Grabas. "The Tsunami were ahead, 3-0, and the Arizona team was agitated. The fight started right behind me."

Grabas, who was the center-field official, said he fled the field when two Arizona players started running at him.