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Just For Kicks
THE daily drive past Waialae Iki Field, watching a recent youth soccer tournament at Kapiolani Park and a site visit to the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park brought the subject of field maintenance to mind. Maybe Toma could
give seminarsNormally Waialae Iki Field is teeming with youngsters practicing their soccer skills in the late afternoon. Ranger League matches are scheduled there weekends. Junior varsity high school teams play there in the fall.
But now, there are blue and white signs that state "Field closed. No games. No practice."
The field needs a rest.
At Kapiolani Park, significant areas in front of the goal posts on a couple of fields are nothing but dirt.
It must be fun making a diving save in such conditions.
The Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park will have 19 fields with new grass when it opens.
The fields will need to be maintained, and part of the solution of keeping them in top shape is eliminating over use.
The University of Hawaii has new football and soccer practice fields installed under the direction of George Toma.
He has received rave notices for his efforts. Come August, when the athletes start practice on those fields, more superlatives will follow.
UH athletic department officials know those fields must be maintained to stay in superb condition. It was a very wise decision to have Toma train someone for that job before he leaves in December.
With local fields and parks, public and private, requiring maintenance, wouldn't it make sense if there was a means for Toma to share his knowledge.
I realize there isn't $150,000 plus laying around to fix up every field.
But, thinking long term, what if fields scheduled for maintenance were slowly upgraded as funds became available.
What if a seminar or, if necessary, a series of seminars, were arranged so that Toma could discuss the nuts and bolts of field management with those having that responsibility.
Might the know-how Toma shares be the basis for a definitive plan, executed over time, to improve the quality of fields used by our athletes of all ages.
HOMESICKNESS has cost the University of Hawaii Wahine soccer team sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Pearson.
As a freshman last year, Pearson started four matches and played in eight. In 387 minutes, the 5-foot-8 resident of Los Gatos, Calif., made 16 saves while allowing three goals for a 0.70 goals-against average.
"She wants to be away from home, but she wants to be able to go home," UH head coach Pinsoom Tenzing said.
Pearson's move leaves UH with senior starter Demarre Sanchez, a first team all-WAC selection in 1999, and junior walk-on Kimela Keahiolalo to mind the nets in 2000.
Counting returnees, recruits and walk-ons, 37 players have signed up for the start of Wahine practice Aug. 10.
Ten seniors will have completed their college eligibility at the end of the 2000 season.
With this in mind, Tenzing plans to carry a greater number of players than he might in other years. There will be a number of positions open in 2001.
He also recognizes the problem of keeping everyone happy by giving them playing time.
THE United States Men's National team may be without striker Brian McBride for the first two World Cup qualifying matches because of a broken right cheekbone.
McBride, of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, was injured when he collided with Paul Bravo of the Colorado Rapids going for a head ball.
McBride will be out 4-8 weeks.
