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After an absence of more than five years that was exacerbated by COVID-19, Molokai Little League is making a huge comeback.
Nearly 200 youngsters, ages 4-8, are set to play at the T-ball and coach-pitch level beginning next month.
That's an impressive number of participants for any Little League in Maui County, but is especially remarkable considering Molokai's population is about 7,500.
To help the MLL get going, Texas Rangers scout and Kamehameha Schools Maui head coach Shane Dudoit has organized an equipment drive for any "new and gently used" bats, gloves and training equipment.
The drop-off will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday at Kahului Shopping Center -- volunteers will be on hand to help with the drop-offs, including drive-thru. Dudoit has also made arrangements for the equipment to be shipped to Molokai via Young Brothers.
Bill Dudoit, Shane's cousin, is the new president of Molokai Little League.
"After COVID I guess things weren't really opening up here on Molokai, but then eventually it did," Bill Dudoit said. "But then the past board of the Little League was absent, due to COVID, everybody just sort of dwindled away.
"So, we wanted to get things back going, I put my stuff in there, we got our new board going. We actually started from, like, zero."
Bill Dudoit reached out to his cousin and the ball got rolling.
"Starting from zero, trying to get this going for our kids," Bill Dudoit said. "We're going to start with T-ball and coach-pitch -- we have almost 200 kids signed up. It's been crazy, crazy. ... Our first game is October 22nd and it ends December 10th."
The need for equipment is large.
"It's just a matter of equipment. We don't have any. ... The equipment from the past is not usable," Bill Dudoit said. "So, I asked Shane if there was any way to help, like people that have their kids' out-grown equipment and stuff like that.
"We'll take anything -- a glove or pants or bats. We need some help."
Shane Dudoit was more than willing to do whatever he could. His close friend Jon Viela and his All-Pono Foundation stepped up to help, as did John Pele.
"Bill was over here at my house ... and he let us know that he was the new president of Molokai Little League and he's got a good board that was voted in," Shane Dudoit said. "And they're really trying to make a difference and get Molokai baseball back to where it was when myself, Bill and even John (Pele) were playing.
"We had a very strong Little League, we had a very strong high school program. And I think Bill is the right guy to get it back in motion again."
When his cousin asked, Shane Dudoit stepped up.
"We were just talking story and I asked him if there was something I could do for him, we could do for him," Shane Dudoit said. "He said 'equipment' because obviously there's no sporting goods store on Molokai, money's scarce. I know if I can find a way, along with All-Pono (Foundation). I mean, Jon (Viela), Maile (Viela) and Molokai have always been a thing.
"They've always had a real love for Molokai, so we decided to put this little drive together and see what we can come out with."
Kanekoa Texeira, a former major league pitcher and current manager in the Atlanta Braves organization, has enlisted the Braves' help. Texeira, a Molokai resident in the offseason, will be a coach in the MLL -- one of his daughters has signed up to play.
The new MLL board includes Tina Schonely, Lauren Kikukawa, Michael Helm, Salina Reyes, Hana Spencer, Joanie Tanabe, Carrie Farris, Keala Paleka, Mapuana Dudoit, Malia Nishihara and Dwayne Kala.
The plan going forward is simple.
"We're just rebuilding our program to where it once was," Bill Dudoit said. "This past senior (high school) class, as far as I know, they were the last class to go off-island for (a Maui County) all-star tournament. We're just slowly building it, building the program, rebuilding the relationship with this community, getting this league to where it once was -- that's my vision."
Bill Dudoit said monetary donations are also very helpful.
For those wishing to make any donation, Bill Dudoit is reachable at wdudoit13@gmail.com or P.O. Box 91, Kaunakakai, HI, 96748 -- monetary donations can be made to Molokai Little League.
Shane Dudoit is reachable at shanedudoit@gmail.com.
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.