Kaiser Cougars Learn Football Is Never A Game Of ‘Perfect’
By Jack Danilewicz
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Even with an unblemished record, the Kaiser junior varsity team learned that football is never a game of perfect, to hear head coach Chico Gonda tell it.
“A perfect season sounds great,but there are always ups and downs to get there,” he said. “There’s always adversity among the good things that happen. I was proud that we were able to work through everything as a family.
“The kids bought into our vision from the beginning and never let up. It’s school first here, and a lot of them have done very well (in class).With the support of our principal and athletic director, we’ve really pushed education. The atmosphere on the campus, from top to the groundskeeper,who takes care of the place, it has all been a blessing.”
On the field, of course, the Cougars also got results, outscoring opponents 300 to 56 en route to a 9-0 season. Kaiser defeated Pearl City 28-6 in the OIA semifinals before closing out Moanalua, 28-13, in the title game.
Offensively, they scored no less than 20 points in any one game and averaged 33.4 per outing in nine games. Defensively,Kaiser held opponents to 6.2 points per game.
Gonda said much of the Cougars’success is their ability to play well together, plus their depth. (Kaiser has a JV roster of 58 this season.)
“They’re a bunch of good kids,” said Gonda, who coached Pop Warner for a decade before coming to Kaiser. “If you pull one out, the next one will step in and do the job. It all starts with your starters.They set the pace for the ones that are playing behind them and show them what they’ll be stepping into (as regulars). They come just as hard. As coaches, we were blessed to see that.”
The team’s on-field success was merely a bonus, in Gonda’s view. A former strong safety at the school during the mid ‘80s, he takes the holistic approach, while also preparing his players to step up to varsity with a “team first” mind-set.
Assistant coach Paul Kumashiro noted a quote from June Jones that he emphasized to his players throughout the year: “Champions don’t become champions on the field, they are merely recognized there.” The staff expanded on the message with “Gentlemen, study hard and work your butts off in the off season - Da coaches.”
On the field, Gonda dares his players to go the extra distance. “We ask them if they want to be normal or abnormal. In this world, it’s better to stand out. We want them to be better than just normal. We want them to be the type people follow instead of being the follower.”
About 28 players are projected to move up to varsity, and varsity coach Pat Samsonas is already expects about 28 returnees in the spring. The Cougar varsity is coming off a 4-4 season with a junior-dominated team.
“I think they’re going to have a really awesome team to compete,” Gonda said of the varsity’s prospects.“We’re really excited to be going to the (OIA) Red Division, where we’ll get to play Kahuku and Waianae and other schools. As a coach, I’m excited for them to have the opportunity to play against these teams.”
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