‘It’s pretty dangerous,’ why Kauai teams can’t play under Friday night lights

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Sports are a positive outlet for kids but it’s getting harder to beat the heat for some Kauai teams.

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Many football teams on Oahu and Maui enjoy playing under the Friday night lights, but not on Kauai. Night games on the garden sile are not allowed from Sept. 15 through Dec. 15 and it’s been that way for over a decade.

“We’ve gotten used to it, but it’s pretty dangerous with the heat, the exhaustion and not just for us the players, but a lot of our kupuna and our aunties and uncles that come to the games. They’re they’re suffering along with us in the stands,” explained Kylie Linoz, Waimea High School football coach.

The ban was put in place to protect several endangered species of seabirds endemic to Kauai, negatively impacted by the bright lights during fledgling season.

“For our league, we can play night games during the spring, but since we can’t play during the fall, I just try to keep it all day and get the kids situated and the coaches to train them up to play during the day,” explained Brad Hiranaka, Kauai Youth Football president.

All four of Cherell Rego’s kids have played youth sports on Kauai and she’s a team medic for Kauai Youth Football.

“We had three games so far and the two games that we played in Kapaa were 10 a.m. games. I had three boys that almost passed out because they were so hot,” Rego said.

She said they’ve had to call an ambulance on more than one occasion over the years and some family members refuse to come to the games.

“It’s sad because a lot of kids’ parents are like ‘I don’t want to go because I don’t want to sit underneath the sun,'” added Rego. “It just it brings the child’s spirits really down when their parents are not in the crowd, or family members are not in the crowd because it’s hot.”

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Kauai County issued the following statement:

The County has done everything within its legal capacity to support the continuation of night football games for our community. We recognize the importance of these events and the challenges posed by daytime heat. While our efforts have always prioritized the safety and enjoyment of our residents, we remain committed to exploring balanced approaches that align with the needs of our athletes, families and the greater good of our island.

Pat Porter, Parks and Recreation Director

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