The Silversword Football-Club hit the ground running during its debut last semester as an official club in Chaminade. At the start of this semester, however, CUH’s first-ever football club dealt with problems concerning the lack of officers to run the organization and an absence of venue for practices. Now operating in its fourth week this semester, the club has left its problems behind and has picked up where it left of last semester.
The club was initially formed by club president and CUH sophomore Siufaga Kava to compete in league that would have included BYU Hawai`i, HCC, KCC and HPU. When the league failed to materialized, Kava still pursued to form the club for people who share his passion for football. It has since become an outlet where players who love the spot could come to have some fun.
“I went with the feeling that it could be something bigger,” Kava said. “We started (to) hit the ground running. It was really good, like, throughout the whole (fall) semester.”
About 84 students, male and female, signed up for the club prior to the 2011 fall semester. The club was also open to other university students, so UH, KCC and HCC students were allowed to join the club. All students were required to be enrolled in at least 12 units in their respective schools and maintain a 2.5 GPA.
In the club’s first meeting on Sept. 7, around 40 members showed up for practice. On average, around 20 members attended practices, which were scheduled Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Kanewai Park last semester.
“We wanted to start out and come out with a bang,” said CUH sophomore Terrance Aikens, who is the club secretary. “At the beginning, we had such a good turnout because everyone wants to be part of something new.”
Although fewer members attended practices toward the end of the semester because they were saddled with school work, Aikens believes it was still a successful debut.
The progress of the club slowed down at the beginning of this semester when three of the five officers stepped down. This left Kava and Aikens to manage the organization.
“One of the biggest problems that we face is running a club as a club,” Kava said. “Like right now, the only major input being put in is by me and Terrance. … It’s no problem (for me) but then, like, in order for the club to be successful, you have to have all these officers working together and doing their specific jobs.”
The club also had trouble looking for a new home because Kanewai Park officials denied it access his semester to make way for baseball season. It also tried to reserve Kapaolono Park and Palolo Park but were also unavailable.
Most of its efforts to obtain a venue for practice were focused on the St. Louis field. The field was just below campus and would save club members time and money for commuting. The club, however, was turned down.
“It would have been a major recruiting boost to have practices so near campus,” Kava said. “It would have been a sweet deal.”
Eventually, the club would find a new home in Kapiolani Park. Because of the venue’s distance from campus, the club has to rent a van to provide transportation for members. For the same reason, the club has only scheduled practices on Fridays compared to last semester’s arrangement of three practices a week.
The club has had three practices this semester. Kava and Aikens are pleased that turnouts during practices this semester have been good.
“If you wanna have fun playing American football, come out to Kapiolani Park,” Kava said. “… The physical nature of the club, you get to have some good exercise. We come out from 4 to 6 and we go at it hard.”
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What: Silversword Football-Club
When: 4 – 6 p.m.
Where: Kapiolani Park