Hawai'i arena team prepares for the real 'indoor war'
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
For Arena Football League co-founder Jerry Kurz, imitation wasn't the sincerest form of flattery. It was a source of irritation.
Sixteen years ago, Kurz and two others started the AFL, an 8-on-8 league also referred to as "the 50-yard indoor war."
The Arena League, which currently has 16 teams, slowly gained success and rival indoor leagues started popping up, with two franchises ending up in Hawai'i — the Honolulu Hurricanes in 1998 and the Hawai'i Hammerheads in 1999.
Each franchise lasted a year because of major financial losses.
Kurz is now the managing director of the Hawaiian Islanders of arenafootball2, a minor league of sorts for the AFL.
The Islanders, who kick off their season March 30 against the Fresno Frenzy, are one of nine expansion franchises for the 2002 season. af2 is in its third year and has 35 teams.
According to Kurz, arena football is not the same as the indoor leagues that played in Hawai'i.
"There is some confusion because people thought they saw arena football," Kurz said. "Too often they (indoor leagues) come into a market and dirtied it. What I dislike is the attempt to have people believe it was arena football. It's not fair to the public. The misleading nature of it I don't like."
What makes arena football unique is the rebound nets behind both end zones. All kickoffs, missed field goals and passes that bounce off the nets are in play.
The Arena League has a patent on the net rebound system so no other league can implement it.
The league also boasts an "ironman" policy, meaning players must play both ways. The only exempt players are quarterbacks, kickers and an offensive and defensive specialist. A player can only be substituted once per quarter.
The Islanders' players and coaching staff will be from Hawai'i.
The team had an invitation-only tryout for 50 players in January at the Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Among the invitees were Darnell Arceneaux (St. Louis School, University of Utah), Robert Kemfort (Maui High, University of Hawai'i) and Chris Paogofie (Wai'anae High).
"A lot of players commented it was an all-state team," Kurz said.
Players will be paid $200 per game and receive a $50 bonus if the team wins.
Guy Benjamin, who coached the Hawai'i Hammerheads to the 1999 Indoor Professional Football League championship, was hired as the Islanders coach last September.
"I had experience in the other league, IPFL, not Arena," Benjamin said. "I thought they would bring in a head coach from Arena with experience."
Said Kurz: "He had some experience with the indoor game. He held a group of players together and put a good football product on the field."
Kurz said he thinks the Islanders will be here to stay.
"We come here with a league in its 16th year," he said. "We have a league and genuine structure that is a proven entity. We bring a solid foundation and history which people appreciate."
He added the Islanders have league support and a strong marketing plan.
The Islanders, Bakersfield Blitz, Fresno Frenzy and San Diego Riptide are in the National Conference's West Division.
All af2 teams will have an 18-player active roster and a taxi squad of three players.
"There are a lot of good football players out there I'd like to see," Benjamin said. "I think that'll happen as we get close to the start of the season. It's a wonderful opportunity for local players. They can keep their hopes and dreams (of playing professional football) alive."
For more information about the team, call 672-7362.
