After finishing their season undefeated, 25 area youths prepare to represent the state in the Pop Warner Superbowl in Florida.
The Panaewa Ali‘i traveled to Kauai for the state championship after finishing first in the 12 and under division of Pop Warner football two weeks ago. Waimea placed second, Leeward placed third and Waiakea placed fourth on the Big Island.
The Ali‘i played the Kekaha Titans for the state title and won 22-0. The team is now looking forward to traveling to the mainland to compete against the best of the best.
Austin Chaves, 13, and Abraham Alvarez Jr., 13, have been playing with the Ali‘i since they were 8-years-old and are looking forward to showing their skills on the mainland.
“I think we worked hard to earn this and I can’t wait to finish what we started,” Chaves said.
“We’ve put in the work, blood, sweat and tears, and it’s taken a lot of effort to get here,” Alvarez added.
While they finished the season 9-0, the Ali‘i will face a bigger challenge on the mainland.
“I’m looking forward to going all the way to see if our skills match other teams,” Alvarez said.
This won’t be the first time the Ali‘i have gone to the Pop Warner Superbowl in Florida as the eight and under team represented Hawaii in 2018.
“The competition is very intense as this is the best of the best in all regions,” said head coach Abraham Alvarez. “Having the opportunity to represent the state is a huge honor for our kids and it gives them the ability to see the competition outside of Hawaii.”
While the team doesn’t know what the competition will look like, the honor of traveling to the mainland to represent Hawaii is a great reward for all the time put into the Pop Warner practice and game schedule.
Parents, athletes and coaches spend their free hours outside of school and work to make sure the kids have time to advance their skills and build each other up as a team.
“Winning regional and even the island championship is great in itself. Being in the atmosphere and competing at the national level will be so great for the athletes and their parents, too,” said coach Kaipo Emmsley. “The kids, parents and coaches, we all spend our extra time here, so it means a lot to win. You don’t always get a shot like this.”
Many of the players have been playing together for years and the coaches have gotten the opportunity to watch them grow as athletes and young men.
“Being a part of what these kids accomplish means a lot, especially being with some of them since they were 8-years-old,” Emmsley said. “These kids have what it takes to compete with the best. I know all the hard work they’ve put into it and what they’ve been through and if anything, we’re preparing them to excel at the next level.”
While Pop Warner helps kids stay physical, it has added benefits that help them succeed in sports and school.
“You have to maintain at 70% in school and it also gives them the opportunity to do something they love. They work as a team and really learn to respect each other,” Alvarez said. “Our kids are like a brotherhood as they are taught to work together and to protect each other, which is one of the best ways to be successful in life.”
Regardless of the outcome in the national championship, Chaves and Alvarez Jr. are proud of the team they’ve built and are excited to travel together.
“This is one of the best teams I’ve been part of and we’ve been building this since we were little,” Alvarez said.
“I think we’ve built more than a team, but a friendship that can’t be beaten and that’s why we’ve done so well,” Chaves added. “We have a family that works and fights together no matter what.”
The Panaewa Ali‘i are fundraising to get the team to the national championship, which takes place Thursday, Dec. 1 to Monday, Dec. 12 at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. Travel and lodging cost about $3,000 per athlete.
Those interested in donating can visit the team’s GoFundMe page at tinyurl.com/ycbruuxm. Fans can follow along during the national competition at popwarnersuperbowl.com.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com