Collegiate sports are a multibillion dollar industry in this country. With all that money at stake, cheating and ineligibility scandals have become all too common place. Many high profile schools have come under investigation, and the problem has begun to spread to other educational institutions. Recruiters are increasingly pressuring high school programs to cut corners and break rules in order to land the biggest and best upcoming prospects. Over the past few years a number of high school programs have come under fire, and now our own Pu’u Blue Wolves have joined that infamous club. The Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) is looking into allegations that the Blue Wolve’s lava sledding team has been using its lectrotarp during competitions and not just during training.
Lava sledding, traditionally known as He’e hōlua, is well over 1,000 years old. Seen as both a sport and a religious rite by early Hawaiians, lava sledders race down courses of gravel, sand, and grass on long slender sleds. The sleds themselves are only 6 inches wide but can be as long as 14 feet. Sled riders can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h on courses that stretch for miles. The sport saw a huge resurgence beginning in the early 2000’s and remained pretty much the same since its inception until the introduction of lectrotarps in 2032.
Eectro-active carbon fiber tarps laid under courses promised to change the sport forever. Allowing a sledder to increase their speed by up to 50%, the tarps became a must have item for any serious lava sledding program. Records were being broken almost as fast as books could be printed, but an upwelling of outrage found the sport at a crossroads.
Many lovers of the sport pointed out its spiritual roots and said that the introduction of the tarps went against everything sledding represented. They argued that part of the sledding experience was the bravery shown by the rider testing the dangers of the slope and gravity, without the help of a charged electrical field. Proponents of the technology saw it as the next logical step in the sports evolution. They contended that every sport changes as technology allows: Football helmets are no longer made of leather, most hockey sticks are now made of carbographene instead of wood, and hi-tech shoes have changed the face of track and field. It was inevitable that lava sledding would undergo a technological renaissance as well they said.
In the end, with the help of a number of memorable accidents caused by increased speeds, the traditionalists won a partial victory. Active lectrotarps were banned during competitions but were allowed for training purposes. Virtually all schools with lava sledding programs have tarps under their courses and use them during practice. They argued that riders who are used to piloting faster sleds can more easily maneuver a slower sled during competition, leading to fewer injuries.
Schools are supposed to turn off their tarps during events and provide visiting teams proof that their systems are inactive. According to allegations, Pu’u Athletic director Pa’ani Mahelona not only activated the Blue Wolve’s tarp during runs, but he falsified tarp readings provided to opposing teams. In addition, it is alleged that Rocky “Downhill” Hookeai, the team’s captain, knew and participated in the scandal.
Because the investigation is ongoing, the HHSAA is providing few details. They confirm that they are “evaluating the veracity of claims brought against the Pu’u Blue Wolves lava sledding team regarding the use of active lectrotarps during sanctioned competitions,” but are saying little else. If the allegations are found true, the most dominate lava sledding team for the past 5 years could face serious consequences, including being permanently banned from the league. While this would be a disappointment to many high school athletes, it would be devastating for Hookeai, who is being courted by a number of colleges.
Athletic Director Mahelona released a brief statement regarding the potential scandal which reads, “We hold the integrity of our athletic programs and our young men and women in the highest regard at Pu’u. We categorically deny all of these unfounded allegations. All of our teams strive to represent the best in athletic competition. We hold honesty and fairness as core values. We do not cheat! Many of our students use athletics as a path for their future, and rumors such as these can cause serious harm down the road. I find it disturbing that these allegations have been leaked to the press without any proof to back them up. I’m confident that the HHSAA will clear us of any wrongdoing in a timely manner.”
