More than 80 high school football players will visit Shriners Children's Hawaii on Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., ahead of the Polynesian Bowl. The visit will allow young patients to meet the athletes and receive autographs. NFL Hall of Famers and founders of the Polynesian Bowl Hall of Fame will also attend. "Our patients are excited for the opportunity to meet and obtain autographs from several elite high school football players who will soon be playing at the next level collegiately. We look forward to a great game," hospital officials said, according to KHON2.
19 Hawaii-born athletes will compete in this weekend’s Polynesian Bowl. Farrington alumnus Koloi Keli said, "Being able to represent my Samoan side, my Tokelauan side, you know, it’s huge for me," while Cal commit Taimane Purcell added, "Especially in Hawaii, resources are very limited," as reported by Hawaii News Now.
Players like Campbell’s Tainoa Lave are eager to prove themselves against mainland talent, noting, "I think every Hawaii kid is overlooked, and for me, I’m undersized," and "So you’ve just got to showcase that we can hang with people from all over — the five-stars, the four-stars, the big-school SEC commits." The event also features young bowl ambassador Malakai Lee, who, along with Polynesian Bowl Hall of Fame founders, will engage with the community and celebrate local talent.
