When I was about 15 or 16, I used to play for the Hanapepe Broncos Pop-Warner midget league football team. The last year that I played for them, I developed a "knack" for kicking field goals. My buddy Matt Tsuchiya and I used to practice in our front yards in Kalaheo during our spare time just kicking the football around. Anyway, I got really good at it and Coach Eli Pablo made me the kicker for the Broncos.
During that year, the majority of the leagues' football teams didn't kick field goals and I held the record for a field goal during a game (32 yards). I was a "straight-on" kicker and not a "soccer-style" kicker, which meant I kicked the ball forward and not from the side. Well, one day while at Waimea High School, the head high school football coach, Mr. Patrick Pereirra, asked me to try out for the Menehunes, and I decided to give it a "shot".
So come Monday, there I was, a small sophomore on the high school football field. During practice, I had a two big centers to hike the ball, David Pavao and Todd Fereirra (both Kalaheo portagees) and a QB. I can't remember who was holding the ball for me. For the first 15 minutes, I had a really tough time kicking the ball because the high school ball was bigger and heavier than the midget league football. My shin muscle wasn't used to kicking a heavier ball. The ball just couldn't get the "air" that it needed to make it over the field goal posts. I got fatigued very quickly.
Coach Pereirra saw that I was struggling and he said that I should try it "soccer-style". So after giving me brief instructions, I got into position. David hiked the ball and my aching leg soccer kicked it. The ball left the tee like a bat out of hell, awkwardly spinning and forcefully hit David, who was still in the "hiking" (upside down) position, in da okole (rear), then it ricochet upward about twelve feet into the air. David, who was one of the larger and heavier football players, rolled forward and landed on his back. The whole thing was hilarious, but I wasn't laughing. I was frustrated.
Coach Pereirra instructed me to keep practicing. The second time I kicked soccer-style, the ball left the tee like a bat out of hell and hit David, who was still in the "hiking" position, and like before, David demonstrated Newton's Law of Physics flawlessly! Everyone in the area was hysterical, including Todd who was standing on the sideline. Coach Pereirra saw Todd cracking up and instructed him to replace David so his okole could take a rest! The third time I kicked soccer-style, the ball left the tee like a bat out of hell and impacted Todd's rear, before becoming airborne again from the ricochet. Todd, in-turn, rolled forward and landed on his back. David was laughing hysterically; Coach Pereirra couldn't keep a straight face and was laughing also. I was so overcome with laughter, that it totally drowned out my feelings of frustration.
A few weeks later I was informed that a "Bantam League" team was being formed, so I left the high school team and joined them. I thought that if I played in the bantams, I'd have an easier time kicking the ball. But, the ball was just as heavy and I had the same problem. We practiced for a month in Lihue . The team was made up of guys from all over Kauai. We played only one game against the top bantam team from Oahu, and got our butts kicked.
I've always kicked myself in the okole for leaving the Menehunes, but that's life I guess. That's okay though, I had plenty good times in high school anyway with all my friends, and without high school football.
As for my buddy Matt, he now resides in Newburg, Oregon with his wife and child. Coach Pereirra, is the now one of Waimea High School's Vice-Principals. David is married and living in Denver, Colorado, with his wife. Todd ... well, I don't know where he is.
From time to time, this memory just "pops" into my mind and no matter what I am doing, I'll just start cracking up. It was one of my funniest moments in high school, second only to freshman marching band practice. But that's another story.
About Author
Wally Bacio II was born and raised in Kalaheo on Kauai. He graduated from Waimea High School in 1986. He now lives in Vancouver, Washington.
I joined the USAF in 1987 as an Aircraft Armament Systems (Weapons) Specialist. I got out of the active duty in 1991 and joined up with the AF Reserves in 1992. Now I'm a Pavehawk Aerial Gunner for the 939th Rescue Wing in Portland, Oregon. I've been in deployments to: Operation Desert Storm, Operation Southern Watch (Kuwait International Airport/Dharan, Saudi Arabia, Operation Northern Watch (Incirlik, Turkey), Operation Allied Force (San Vito, Italy). I've attended numerous AF schools, the International Air Academy and flying school at Evergreen Flying Service here in Vancouver. Civilian wise, I have worked at Hewlett Packard in Vancouver as the Security Operations Manager and also as a chef for the Hawaiian Cafe.
