LAHAINA, Hawaii — The Lahainaluna football team continues to appear in the national spotlight more than a year since the wildfire disaster that destroyed much of its hometown and killed more than 100 people.
Lunas players were featured as part of an ad campaign by the NFL for the upcoming 2024 season, called “This is Football Country.”
The 60-second spot, which went up online last weekend, opens with Lunas players gathered together in their locker room singing the school alma mater. It then cuts to a view of the Lahaina hillside above the historic town.
“All right boys, remember who we are, and who we represent,” senior captain Simione Olakauatu, an offensive lineman, says. “It’s not about a place, it’s about a people.”
Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard told Spectrum News that the line originally came from Lunas assistant coach Kenui Watson when Watson addressed the team for the Sept. 30, 2023 season opener against Baldwin at War Memorial Stadium, in the group’s first outing since the Aug. 8 wildfires wiped out housing for more than half the team.
The NFL spot continues on to show girls flag football, wheelchair football and various NFL fan bases with stars Stefon Diggs, Myles Garrett and DeMarcus Lawrence. The season begins Sept. 5.
It is the second time in a matter of months that the NFL has prominently featured Lahainaluna football; in February it invited several coaches and players to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas as honorary captains for the pregame coin toss.
In addition, the NFL Foundation has given grants to Lahainaluna High, Lahaina Intermediate and the Lahaina Chiefs Pop Warner team.
“We are very appreciative of the support that the NFL has provided with the ongoing recovery efforts for Lahaina and especially to Lahainaluna athletic programs,” Rickard said in a message. “So when we were approached by NFL Films to be included in the season kickoff commercial, of course the kids were very excited and had a really great time and lots of fun shooting with the NFL film crew. What made this even more special, unlike the Super Bowl, was that the entire team was able to be involved. Again, we thank the NFL for their support and for bringing continued awareness to our community’s long journey ahead and the ongoing recovery efforts in Lahaina.”
A member of the NFL’s communications team told Spectrum News in an email, “The NFL featured the Lahainaluna High School Football team in the campaign because of the incredible resilience they showed during the Hawaiian fires and the community the team has helped sustain. The team embodies the power of football to bring people together.”
Reigning Maui Interscholastic League champ Lahainaluna is 0-1 to start the 2024 season, having dropped its home opener against Kapolei, 42-12 last week. It hosts Valley Center (Calif.) High at 7 p.m. Friday.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.