What would you do if you made a mistake that spiraled out of control and then you had to deal with consequences that ended up affecting those around you, yourself at present, and yourself in the future?

During the Roosevelt versus KS Maui HHSAA D2 semifinal football game November 23, members of the crowd were riled up. This sparked brash comments from the audience, and an angered Rough Rider attempted to jump over a railing and into the stand.

The people involved in this incident were later questioned by the police.

This was the second time this season when taunting and high tensions led both players and fans to make questionable decisions and take possibly life-altering actions. It is actions and decisions like these that can negatively affect those who were directly involved and the individuals around them as well.

With the D2 state title on the line Saturday night, when KS Maui will make their third attempt in three years to bring home a championship, we would like to remind everyone that behavior like this is not pono.

We cannot control what others do, but we can control our own actions and make our own decisions.

We represent ourselves, our kūpuna and ʻohana, our schools, and our communities. All behaviors and principles are learned from this lāhui. This is how we know what is right.

Doing what is right is a conscious decision that we, as developing individuals, must make as we experience and learn from the adult world. We must understand different perspectives, and we must discern what is pono and what isn’t.

As children of Pauahi, we have a legacy to carry on and fulfill. Her wish was that Kamehameha Schools be an institution dedicated to fostering diligent young men and women, and our actions today represent her and her legacy.

Therefore, before getting involved in this kind of behavior and doing something that might affect yourself or another in a harmful way, there are several things that you can do instead of doing something rash and irresponsible:

• Step back from the situation. – If you find yourself provoked by a situation, take a moment to step back and collect your thoughts before making an impulsive decision. Take a few breaths and calm down first, then determine what is the best possible solution.

• Will this action help solve the problem? – If you’re about to pick a fight with someone, think, “Will it directly help the situation at hand? Or will it just make everyone more aggravated?” The best way to alleviate a problem is to ignore the perpetrator or calmly confront them. It isn’t always worth getting angry at someone — stay above them and don’t stoop down to their level.

• Will your ʻohana be proud of this? – Often, when you make decisions in the heat of the moment, you don’t think of those around you and how they may be affected. Actions like these can bring shame to those around you merely by association. If we can take time to consider others around us first it may help us to make pono choices.
• Talk to a friend or family member about it. – It isn’t always easy to make difficult decisions on your own. If you’re not sure what to do or if the choice you are thinking of making is the right thing, talk to someone. It’s always better to have a second opinion and someone behind your back.

Ultimately, please take a moment to consider how your actions will affect yourself and others. Whether or not you’ve thought about it, the decisions you make and the actions you take reflect you and your kūpuna.

At the game on Saturday, remember that it is just a game and keep a level head. Make sure your actions are maikaʻi, and we can be proud of both our team on the field and our team in the stands.