KAHULUI — Maui Pop Warner’s Wailuku Rainbows were able to do something they hadn’t been able to in a long time on Tuesday– the U12 players ran around in football pads, helmets and green practice jerseys.

The opportunity to have a youth season this year after not playing since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic “is wonderful,” coach Josh Morreira said during a water break at “The Pit” at Keopuolani Park.

“The coaches are stoked,” Morreira said. “I’ve been coaching for the past six years, so for me, just being out here with the kids, you know, it’s all volunteer, so everything we do is for the kids. I really, really enjoy it.”

Kahiau Kipapa, 12, has been playing Pop Warner for about four or five years until the pandemic forced the league to shut down after one practice nearly 18 months ago, so “it feels good, I’m happy to be out here again,” the Maui Waena Intermediate School student said.

Pointing to the team, Kipapa added that he’s a little nervous because he doesn’t know some of the new players who have joined the Wailuku Rainbows roster and how they tackle, but “it’ll be fun (because) I just want to hit.”

Some kids are still adjusting to the daily training regime and Tuesday was their first day with equipment.

“The kids show up to practice every day, so it seems like they’re having fun,” Morreira said. “The first two weeks were the conditioning period, so they got to run and all that, but now we finally got some equipment on and we can start tackling.”

“To be honest, it’s kind of tiring,” Faanu Mao Jr., 12-year-old Iao School student, said with a laugh. “But it feels good to be back on the field with the boys, teammates and coaches and friends. This is where we bring out our power.”

Maui Pop Warner vice president Kalei Apolo-Awai said that the organization’s board had to “go through a lot” to get practices started by Aug. 1 after completing all the necessary permitting processes and implementing health and safety protocols.

Players have to do a health screening and temperature checks before every practice, Apolo-Awai said. When possible, the team stays socially distant, like during stretches and drills.

On Tuesday evening, the Wailuku Rainbows’ U14 squad was practicing on one end of the field while the U12s were on the other. Each football team is limited to 25 kids and five coaches.

Most teams in the Maui Pop Warner league are resuming play amid the pandemic, though a few U12 Kahului players were practicing with the Wailuku Rainbows this week because the team did not have enough kids or coaches this year. The Lahaina Chiefs are also “low in numbers,” Apolo-Awai said.

Still, the league’s coaches are hopeful for a season schedule starting at the end of the month or early October– there will be no Turkey Bowl or Jamboree this season.

Since the War Memorial Stadium is not permitted for games, Apolo-Awai said they will play at parks across the Valley Isle, including in Kahului, Kihei, Lahaina and Kulamalu.

And if the Maui Pop Warner completes its schedule, it could hold some promise for the Maui Interscholastic League, which is slated to resume in a few weeks, said Morreira, whose son grew up playing Pop Warner and is now “pretty excited” to start his freshman year at Baldwin High School.

“He just really wants to play,” Morreira said. “I hope they have a season, but we’ll see.”

* Dakota Grossman is at dgrossman@mauinews.com