KINGDOM BOWL II
July 4th, 2003
BACK TO THE ROOTS
U.S. Mainland celebrates
their win with ‘Atele College after the game at
Teufaiva stadium. |
 |
| Kingdom Bowl 2 was a success! In fact, it surpassed the first one in 2002. More players, family members, and supporters had
participated this time. Based on our evaluation last year, we were able to fine tune and improve several areas. Through cell phones and emails, we were able to
better communicate with the players and parents throughout the country before |
Liahona
High School continued to cheer all
the way to the end. They came in 2nd place in
the Cheerfest. |
Hawaii Team with
Coaches at Teufaiva Stadium |
|
|
TYA girls doing a Tahitian number
at the Welcome Dance at Havelu, hosted by Pita Vamanrav’s Stake. |
the trip. The mainland group left Los Angles on an Air Pacific flight to Tonga via Fiji while Hawaii
packed Polynesian Airline with 86 people of the 120-seat aircraft bound for Nuku’alofa via Apia. The unpolluted fresh breeze of the Fuamotu Airport was a
great welcome. The usual crowd of families, friends, |
and the “kau penipeni” were waiting with great anticipation.
The Nuku’alofa block party was a hit. It seems like every soul that lives in the island of Tongatapu attended, both young and
old, big and small. A few of our girls and boys from Hawaii performed two numbers. Foods of different kinds were available for less than five pa’anga. Entertainment
was provided by various groups at different locations on Taufaahau road, from Mala’e Kula all the way down to the main post office. The members of the
LDS Nukualofa Stake, coordinated by Elder Pita Vamanrav, welcomed us to their facility for a dinner and |
Yeah! I am very much single! Coach Ula
Lomu
with the Miss Heilala Contestants. |
Welcome by Combined Stakes at
Havelu Chapel. |
dance on Saturday night where the players from both teams were introduced. Of course, our boys impressed
the local girls with their “moves” as they enjoyed the beats of local hits. President Shumway of BYU-Hawaii was in Tonga for official business was able
to join us that evening.
The members of various wards and other churches treated us very nicely as
we visited their services on Sunday. We were able to attend the Methodist church service |
|
| at Nukualofa together with King Taufa’ahau. All the Miss Heilala contestants were there and some of the boys
had taken pictures with them. Sunday in Tonga was an eye opener for most of the boys, from the sound of the morning (5:30am) church bells and lali of
different churches, to the “no-store opens” law, let alone the Sunday attire of everyone as they went to church. The entire town of Nuku’alofa, especially the
Taufa’ahau road, was emptied. |
| 
After church at Saione. |
|
Miss Heilala
Contestants at Saione. |
|
Players enjoy watching different
schools during the Education Day Parade. |
The 4th Of July parade was exciting, the floats were beautiful; all the different high schools with their colorful
uniforms and brass bands took part on these festivities. Both sides of the street were crowded with people from all over the country. People from neighboring
islands came to be part of the celebration. Our boys marched only half of the route because we played at Teufaiva in the afternoon. |
|
|
The two
great Mothers who took care of the boys - 'Uheina Tauheluhelu from Maui & Nola Otuafi from Reno. |
|
Chris 'Unga, Timote
Fotu, and 'Uheina from the Back (Parade Day). |
|
PRACTICE…PRACTICE…..AND MORE PRACTICE
|
| The excitement of playing a football game in Teufaiava was so obvious as we watched these boys prepare
and practice. In fact, the morning practice started with a morning run at 6:00am. From the Hotel around the Malae Kula to the Hala Vaha’akolo then
back to Taufa’ahau road for a long stretch to Teufaiva park and back. Both teams practiced separately on different fields and places as they fine-tuned
their plays. We have good coaches for both teams that helped our boys prepare for the game. |
| 
Morning run. |
Hawaii doing their local haka
during the parade,
lead by Viliami Nauahi. |
There were several Miss Heilala activities throughout the week that the teams were invited to. In fact,
Fusi Livai, wife of Coach Siuaki Livai, was invited to be one of the judges on one of those event. The nightlife of the Heilala week was there for us to enjoy. We
were able to visit Tupou College and met their rugby team members. We toured the school and saw the classrooms and their “weight room” and enjoyed
their humbleness. |
|
|
U.S. Mainland
Team doing their haka during the parade, lead by Sele Fauolo. |
|
| We had a wonderful relaxing day at Pangaimotu, one of the remote islands across Nukualofa, and it was
soooo cool, the water was so clean and clear. The boys had so much fun together and it was rewarding for us to see our boys, both from Hawaii and
the Mainland, starting to bond with each other as we ate, played and had fun together and it would be a memorable experience for all of them. That was |
| 
Pangaimotu island was one of
the highlites in Tonga. |
| one goal of this organization. The 15-minute boat ride from Uafu Faua to Pangaimotu was a treat and
very relaxing. |
|
Players relaxing and enjoying
the Pangaimotu tour. |
|
The boat took
many loads back and forth to Pangaimotu island, it was a fun 10 minute ride. |
|
GO BIG RED!
|
Game day at
Teufaiva Stadium. The US Mainland won! Red-US Mainland, White - Hawaii. |
|
Our football game was between 2 high school rugby games, said to be the “top 4” of the season. Toloa
(Tupou College) against Tonga High and Atele against Liahona. It was very exciting to watch the level of professionalism and sportsmanship. Our boys
were introduced one by one, as they slowly walked in front of thousands of people who packed Teufaiva Park. A special feeling of pride was felt when
the crowd cheered as Finau Hafoka read each boy's parent's and grandparent's names and village. People were talking about their connections with
some of the boys.
TYA sponsored awards for the day, from the school with the best cheer to the most student participating. The MVP of each
game and the defensive and offensive |
| 
Posing in front of the crowd
at
Teufaiva Stadium. |
|
Before the game all the
boys were introduced one by one to
the audience. |
players of each team were all recognized with monetary awards. (Please see the
Thank You page.) After the game, the boys were released to stay with their families and some went off to the neighboring islands of Vava’u and
Ha’apai. |
|
|
| CONGRATULATIONS: Mainland: 20, Hawaii: 6 |
|
The Haka by the
Hawaii Team at Teufaiva Stadium. |
|
Again the U.S, Mainland
celebration continues for a while with ‘Atele College. |
|
We want to say MALO ‘AUPITO to all the people of Tonga, to the students of all the high schools, and
everybody else who has helped us. We felt so blessed to come back to our “roots” and learn for ourselves the values that our parents and grand parents
have tried so hard to teach us but with little success. Being there in Tonga and witnessing how these values are taught and applied has given us different
perspectives of our family and ourselves. We want to thank the TYA for the experience of a lifetime, |
| 
First Girls Basketball team
to play the Girls National
Team in Tonga. Our TYA Girls won. |
| and may this program continue to touch the life of our young people as it did to us. |
|
TYA - First Boys
Basketball Team played against the Boys Tonga National Team too
and TYA won. |
|
| | Back To Top | Kingdom Bowl I | Kingdom Bowl III | |
|
