Brien Ing | SL

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Brien Ing | SL

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Six seasons of Friday Night Prime Time are now in the books.

Over 160 student athletes from 10 schools on Oahu participated in the program focused on interscholastic athletic participation for students with disabilities, nearly doubling the participation total from a year ago.

"We're happy to get all the schools back on board this year. Last year was a modified season but this year the schools were able to come together and get their teams ready to play," aid Nathan Murata, Dean of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa's College of Education.

The program, whcih was designed to use the sport of basketball to foster and promote interaction within and between schools, featured six East schools, Kaimuki, Kaiser, Kalani, McKinley, Moanalua and  Roosevelt, and four  West schools, Aiea, Mililani, Pearl City and Waipahu.

"The communities have been great this year and we are seeing the immeasurable benefit that the host school sees when they host a game," Murata said. "The student bodies and communities at each school have shown up in incredible numbers and have packed the host gyms."

Teams played two games over the course of two weeks, which included travel as a team via bus, scorekeepers, and game officials. School bands, as well as players from other sports team were there to add support and energy to the event.

"We've had the bands out, alumni bands, cheerleaders, school mascots, parents, teachers, football teams and coaches, principals, you name it, it really has been the event to be at," added Murata. "I can still hear the crowd at Mililani two weeks later!" 

The doubleheader at Kalani High School saw Kaiser win the first game in a close battle over Kaimuki, 32-28, and the home team Falcons lose a back-and-forth battle to Roosevelt, 44-38.

"We have always known that there was a need for these types of programs. And that need was what drove us to start Friday Night Prime Time in the first place," said Murata. "We have been fortunate that Matson and other sponsors have supported us and allowed us to provide things like transportation, uniforms, and referees for the games."

As for the future of this type of program and its expansion, the hope is that it can grow way beyond even the ten teams this year.

"Big picture, we hope that the schools can continue to support this program and expand upon it and we also hope that more administrators will jump aboard and see the positive impact this program has on school communities as a whole," remarked Murata. "Long-term, we hope that Friday Night Prime Time will be folded into regular interscholastic league offerings by the HHSAA."