Mayor: Ready to work with MIL on fans | News, Sports, Jobs

Baldwin High School players celebrate a first quarter defensive touchdown against Lahainahuna during a MIL football game on August 31, 2019 at Sue Cooley Stadium. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER file photo

With Maui Interscholastic League training scheduled to resume in less than two weeks, some key decisions are looming for Maui County sports.

Mayor Michael Victorino spoke exclusively to The Maui News Monday morning by phone about the county’s positions on the MIL, the Maui Jim Maui varsity basketball tournament and the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament, all of which are expected. take place in the next four months.

All are being discussed with county officials and each represents a different kind of challenge for the county under the current COVID-19 workload situation.

Asked about fans in the stands at MIL football games, Victorino said, “I really don’t know what MIL will decide, because it’s coming from the state side. So for the county, I said no fans at our facilities at the moment. Our facilities, not state facilities, although I believe there are vaccination mandates to use state facilities.

“There’s a whole bunch of rules going around, which I understand makes things a little confusing for the public. However, the ultimate goal for all of us is to see our numbers start to drop and stabilize, yes. “

Kansas ‘Udoka Azubuike dunks during extra time for the Jayhawks’ victory over Dayton in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational Championship game on November 27, 2019 at the Lahaina Civic Center. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER File Photo

Last week, Victorino unveiled his “Safer on the outside” initiative, where restaurants and bars will close early, no spectators will be allowed at sporting events and proof of vaccination will be required in restaurants, bars and gyms.

Victorino unveiled part of the initiative at the county press conference last Tuesday, but said more details needed to be worked out and would be shared at a later date.

The approved emergency rules are expected to come into effect on Wednesday.

The MIL, along with all other leagues with state Department of Education schools, took a hiatus on August 4, and the DOE announced a mandate that all student-athletes, coaches and volunteers must be fully vaccinated to resume by September 24. and religious warrant exemptions that require two negative COVID tests per week.

Although the MIL has yet to release its updated schedules for fall sports, soccer games are scheduled to begin on October 15. Safer Outside policies should be reassessed the same day.

Justin Thomas walks towards his ball after a big chip from a tough lie on the 18th hole of the Kapalua Plantation Course en route to winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions in the playoffs on Jan. 5, 2020. The Maui News / MATTHEW file photo THAYER

“We want the sport to continue, I am completely (for) letting the children play” said Victorino. “And if I can ensure their safety and well-being and spend time in the sun, play, train and if the parents have to sacrifice a little, that’s all I’m asking at this point, just a little time – 30 days, let’s see where we are.

The only facility in the county used for MIL football is War Memorial Stadium, which was slated to host eight of the 20 games on the MIL schedule released before the current break.

King Kekaulike Stadium and Sue Cooley Stadium on the campuses of King Kekaulike and Lahainaluna High Schools, respectively, are state-run facilities. The Kanaiaupuni Stadium on the Kamehameha Maui campus is a private facility.

“As far as the state, the MIL and the DOE go, that’s really their call, especially when it comes to state facilities – a lot of our schools play in their own high school stadiums when it’s s. ‘acts of football’ Victorino told fans in the stands. “So that would be their decision.”

Asked specifically about fans at War Memorial Stadium, Victorino said: “At this point I would say it will be really, again, discussions with MIL and DOE because even though it is a facility county, we gave them care, trust and control of the establishment, so I would sit down and work with them to see where we are when we talk about these games.

The War Memorial Stadium is the county’s only facility used for MIL football. Maui County Shane Tegarden photo

“Because, again, hopefully by mid-October and if everything stays below, we can lift some of these restrictions and you could have a game. … We would be more receptive to the idea if they had a plan and they would like to share it with us, we would consider reviewing that plan.

Victorino said whether the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will take place as scheduled Nov. 22-24 at the Lahaina Civic Center, a county facility, should be decided this week.

“I will know at the latest this Friday what will happen next”, said Victorino. “We’re in discussion – with the current numbers they want some guarantees that we’re working on right now.

“And once those guarantees are put forward, because I don’t want to say anything until I have everything finalized, they will decide if they come back or if they do like they did last year and host the Maui Invitational. elsewhere.”

LCC capacity is increased to 2,400 annually for the Maui Invitational, which will have Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Butler, Houston, Chaminade, Oregon, St. Mary’s and Notre Dame in its domain this year.

Last year, the tournament was held in Asheville, North Carolina, due to issues related to COVID-19.

“The Maui Invitational having a few thousand people in a small, confined gym is a recipe for real challenges,” said Victorino. “So I’m not prepared to accept the abilities they asked for (for) and I’ll leave it at that. We are still negotiating and I prefer not to talk about it.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions, a PGA Tour event for the winners of the 2021 calendar year tournament, is scheduled to be played January 6-9, 2022 at the Kapalua Plantation Course. The fact that the golf tournament is played outside makes it much easier to welcome the fans, said Victorino.

“Most of them are away, they are ready to do physical distancing, whatever, to wear masks and make it compulsory for the tournament,” he added. Victorino said of Sentinel TOC. “And it’s still January of next year, so I mean three months doesn’t seem very far away, but you and I both know how time flies.” It will be here very quickly.

Victorino added that outdoor events have a much better chance of going as planned.

“Any indoor event will be viewed very differently by myself and my management team”, said Victorino. “Our medical experts really say that when you’re indoors there is a much higher likelihood of twitching compared to outdoors, especially if you can physically distance yourself and I think MIL has a plan to do it. something like that, wearing masks and all that. thing.

“Again, I want to see a shot before I comment further, but I’m ready to work with them, as with everything else. With the parents who called me, I said, “I am not stopping the sport in any way, form or form. … I have to side with caution if the numbers start to rise, the positivity rates start to rise and finally if our death rates start to rise – I have to act, I can’t just sit idly by and say : “Let’s see what happens. ‘ “

* Robert Collias is at [email protected]

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