Chargers Enter OIA Conference Play With New Coach
The holistic approach has served new Pearl City head varsity football coach Robin Kami well during his long coaching career in the community.
He’s taking the same tack this season as the Chargers begin a new era.
“We’re focusing on the two ‘A’s’ this season – attitude and academics,” said Kami, who was Pearl City’s junior varsity coach the past four seasons after a long stint leading Pop Warner Youth programs in the community. “Winning will be a bonus for us. I always tell the kids that there is life after football. I like their attitudes and the (commitment to the) team concept.”
The Chargers also have been solid on the playing field as well in recent years, including last season, when Pearl City finished the year with five straight wins under Kami’s predecessor, David Hallums. Kami’s experience in the program as the Chargers’ JV coach has made for a smooth transition, in his view.
“Last year, coach Hallums did a great job, so we’re just trying to run with the momentum from last season,” said Kami, who was a former running back at Pearl City during his own playing days in the early ’80s.
“I’ve known most of the kids – or about the kids – since they were 8 years old. I’m very humbled and very excited to take over (the program).”
As was the case last year under Hallums, Pearl City will run the spread formation on offense in an effort to take advantage of its fleet-footed athletes.
“The kids love the offense,” Kami said. “They get excited and energetic when they hear about the spread. We don’t get a lot of big kids at Pearl City, so we’ll depend on our speed and our quickness.”
Personnel-wise, the Chargers will have a lot of fresh faces on the offensive side of the ball, according to the coach.
“The offense is rebuilding,” Kami said. “We have five or six returnees on the defensive side. We’ll depend on the defense to keep us in games until the fourth quarter. Hopefully, something good can happen for us at the end.”
Pearl City, which went 5-3 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Conference last season, was to play Division I Kapolei last Friday night in a preseason game. The Chargers have an open date on their schedule this weekend before beginning OIA White play (Division II) Friday, Aug. 23, versus Kalani. That game will be played at Kaiser High School.
The rest of Pearl City’s 2013 slate includes games with Waialua (8/30 at home), Kalaheo (9/6 at Kailua High School), Anuenue (9/13 at home), Roosevelt (9/20 at home), Nanakuli (9/27, away), Kaiser (10/4 at home) and Radford (10/11, away).
