In its fourth year since opening, Kulanihakoi High School is fielding 20 athletic programs with a student body of about 550 students.

For athletic director Mike Watson, it’s a healthy array of offerings, and he’s excited for several new varsity programs coming online this spring, including tennis and boys volleyball.

Seeing it as the next step in the athletic department’s growth, Watson said now is a good time to focus on building strength around the school’s sports programs by starting a booster club.

To get the ball rolling, there will be an information meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the KHS Library (D Building). Anyone who is interested in suiting up to support the school’s athletics is encouraged to attend.

“I’ve been an A.D. for a couple decades now, and I’ve implemented booster clubs and managed booster clubs, and obviously they can be very positive for the school,” Watson said. “We want to make sure that we’re involving people appropriately.”

The primary goals of the booster club will be to outline funding realities, discuss fundraising strategies and help plan for future athletic facilities and athletic policies at the school. Most basically, they’re looking for people who want to go to bat for the student-athletes.

“It’s not just necessarily parents, but also people in the South Maui community who may have an interest in the health of the school and the health of our athletic program as a pride point in the community,” Watson said of Tuesday’s meeting. “Athletics exist to supplement the academic mission of the school, so finding people who are interested in understanding that connection and strengthening it is really important.”

Watson added that a booster club can help in other ways too, such as helping identify coaches and by finding donors and volunteers in the community. Booster clubs can also influence facility building processes and the future of the school’s athletics programs.

“You know, all of those things are positive, so we’re making the community aware that we’re ready to have that conversation with them,” Watson said. “We’re starting to see the fruits of our organization start to take hold, and we want to be successful in setting a culture now and in the future.”

Watson also hopes to identify people who might want to serve in board positions for the new booster club.

“And when we say, ‘board positions,’ it’s very informal. Think more like a little league board than a school board,” he said.

Enrollment has been growing fast at Kulanihakoi. The school added about 150 students this year, though the 2026 graduating class remains relatively small with 35 students.

Watson said growth in the student body is expected to continue next year, though the numbers should rise at a slower pace than they did this year, giving the school a chance to focus on things like the new booster club.

“We’re looking for ways we can expand on our fundraising concept and sphere of influence, and try to bring people together who are interested in making our programs better for the future,” Watson said.

For questions, people can email Watson at michael.watson@k12.hi.us.