Aloha and welcome to the Lavakids ® Website.

The youth branch of Lavaman is readying for an explosive expansion.

Lavaman race director Gerry Rott and the LavaKids initiative were recently awarded a grant from the County of Hawaii to work with Parks and Recreation to become a resource for the Big Island’s youth on all sporting activities the island has to offer, as well as expanding LavaKids® and forming more branded events year-round.

“We want kids to take control of their own health. Many kids have become sedentary and unfit, leading to a lack of self-image, among other health issues. “There is a great need for programs that can inspire kids to take their health and fitness into their own hands and motivate them to stay active and reap the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle. Positive self-image will help kids not only through their school years, but their entire lives.”

A primary focus of the program will be to create an easy to access calendar that encompasses all activities available for kids ages 7 to 18. The activities will range from Little League Baseball to youth endurance events.

“We are not trying to own any of these programs or compete with them. “We are trying to get the word out to parents and kids that these programs are available and who to contact for information.”

“As a parent, I feel there is a sort of disconnect currently when trying to find programs for my kids,” Sarie Imonen, a mother of three and one of LavaKids’ north side directors, said. “Having it all in one place, like LavaKids plans to do, is ideal for parents.”

As well as being a valuable resource, Rott also plans to expand LavaKids to simple, but more frequent events keiki can look forward to.

The tentative plan is to have two quarterly LavaKids events — one on the north side of the island, and another on the west side — with the possibility of eight events throughout the year. The continuity of the events will be the most important aspect, giving children a chance to break personal bests and strive for improvement.