Tuesday, June 30, 1998
Waialua drops
football program
Only 17 boys signed up
By Pat Bigold
to play for the Bulldogs
Star-BulletinOahu Interscholastic Association football coordinator Richard Townsend said this morning he has urged Waialua High School to try again to field a football team for the fall.
But Townsend said he has no reason to be optimistic at this point.
The school decided to drop football after only 17 boys signed up by the end of the academic year. Athletic director Sharon Yoshimura told Townsend she does not have enough players to safely field a team.
''But because football pays for everything, I urged her to try again to field a team,'' said Townsend. ''Without it you have to fundraise.''
No team has ever dropped out of the 21-team OIA football circuit where gate receipts are shared equally.
Waialua is an original member of the OIA and was also a member of the old Rural Oahu Interscholastic Association.
''I know they have tried to bend over backwards to get kids out,'' said Townsend.
Harold Tavares, head varsity coach for the past five seasons, has resigned and George Watanabe took over the program a few months ago.
''They went right up until the last day of school,'' said Tavares. ''But I know he had as few as 12 at some meetings.''
Tavares acknowledged that he has struggled to field teams the past few years, a problem he said is tied to the closing of the old Waialua sugar mill.
The Bulldogs have not won a game in the OIA since 1995.
Yoshimura could not be reached for comment this morning.
