Just For Kicks
KICK BUTTS has nothing to do with an illegal boot to the posterior of an opposing soccer player. It's a program to educate youngsters on the dangers of smoking and to ask parents not to smoke when attending youth games. Kick Butts teaches
kids not to smokeThe Hawaii Youth Soccer Association and the American Youth Soccer Organization both subscribe to having the fields they use for matches be smoke free.
Hawaii was one of 10 states to receive a $25,000 supplemental grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand the SmokeFree Kids and Soccer Program. This is done through community based soccer and health groups.
The Hawaii State Department of Health is involved through it's Tobacco Prevention and Education Program.
With the annual Kirk Banks Tournament starting today at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex, the dangers of smoking and the benefits of participating in organized sports will be emphasized.
Next Wednesday is "Kick Butts Day" and the program will be offered to 6th graders at Washington Intermediate School. There will be a contest to design a T-shirt incorporating the Kick Butts theme with a healthy activity.
"The program in Hawaii is ongoing. We have an option for another $25,000 grant to continue the program for another year," said Michele Nagamine, Kamehameha Schools girls coach and a club coach.
"It's our job to protect our kids. The point is to get children not to start a habit they can't kick.
"What we're trying to do is raise awareness and reach out to the whole family. We gave informational brochures, posters, banners and we have sessions for coaches, referees and administrators."
The program also sponsors a "Soccer Saturday" once a month where any youngster can come, register and compete in three-on-three matches. This is affiliated with and sanctioned by HYSA.
In 1996 the State House of Representatives passed a resolution urging all youth athletic leagues to adopt policies discouraging tobacco and alcohol use by coaches, parents and family members during league practices and games.
Nagamine remembers only one instance where an adult was smoking at a youth tournament, and she said that person was embarrassed when asked if he knew the field was a smoke-free field.
THE FALL SEMESTER was very successful in the classroom for the University of Hawaii women's soccer team. Nine Wahine were named to the Academic All-Western Athletic Conference team, the most of any league soccer program.
Last year, UH had eight players named to the team.
This year's honorees are led by four-time Academic All-WAC members Megan Lytle, a political science major with a 3.53 grade-point average, and Lei Wai, a journalism major with a 3.89 GPA.
The other Wahine academic standouts are Camille Kalama, 3.88, majoring in geography; Wanette Miyashiro, a secondary education major with a 3.63 GPA; Amanda Orand, 3.71, majoring in zoology; Demarre Sanchez, 3.30 in liberal studies; Erin Schremser, 3.91 in elementary education; Noelle Takemoto, 3.46 in general arts and sciences, and Lea Wakabayashi, 3,24 in civil engineering.