University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

Participate in the Ete Bowl

You are an Ete for three years, maybe four;  but you’re a Bruzer for life. 

Join the sisterhood of Etes and Bruzers, a 40 plus year tradition on the gridiron. A tradition just for us, a tradition not seen anywhere else in Law Schools, and a tradition you will cherish forever. (See how I used a triplet to to draw you in?) 

So get out there and throw some blocks, run a sweep, or Ete favorite—da shovel pass, razzle-dazzle kine plays!

Be a sistah forever on the field of battle. Seriously, it’s  a thing!

Ete Bowl

History: The Genesis of Ete Bowl*

One hot day in September 1978, Diane Ho was sitting in the library wondering how she would endure the rest of her third (she thought, boring) year. While checking her weekly parlay sheets, she was struck with the idea of having a women’s intra-class athletic challenge. Diane shared her thought with classmate Ricki Amano, and together they chose football, the game they knew best.

In her usual kolohe manner, the seeds of future bowls were sown. Diane first approached second year students with the challenging information: “Hey, you guys hear what the third year women are saying? They say the second year women are wimps, and they want to challenge you to a football game.” Diane then carried bruising information to her own classmates: “You hear what the second year is saying? They say third year women are old and fat, and a football game will prove it.” And so it began.

At that time, the Ete Bowl was known as a 3L v. 2L challenge. Following 2L’s resounding loss in 1978, the game was almost shelved permanently. However, in 1979, to carry on a ‘tradition’ (and that word is not used loosely) the 3Ls dutifully challenged the 2Ls. Owing to the publicity that surrounded the first game, the then 2Ls did not hesitate in turning down the challenge, on the basis that they could not get enough people to play. True to form, when Dani Ho found out, she rounded up the rest of the Bruzers, and they challenged the Law School to put a team together. The rest is history as we now know it—Bruzers v. Etes.

Looking back it’s hard to believe anyone could have envisioned this event would have lasted [thirty] years and become a tradition in the true sense of the word. It’s even harder to believe that any original players would have lasted [thirty] years, but they have endured. (Remember when Granny Ho’s hair was black?).

Every woman who has played in an Ete Bowl will agree it’s a unique experience. The game has been a vehicle to promote camaraderie, continuity among classes, and an invaluable network system. Moreover, the level of sophistication of the game itself has progressed radically from its humble beginnings. Playbooks of opponents will fetch a fortune if a person is talented enough to find one.

Our thanks to our coaches for taking us seriously and teaching us the game. But most of all for sharing their time and talents with women who believe in the democratic society. As one coach so aptly stated, “Democracy has its place, and it’s not on the football field.”


*Excerpt from 10th Anniversary Ete Bowl 1987 commemorative edition, except as indicated in brackets, author unknown

Rules

Flag Colors:

  • Bruzers must have YELLOW flags
  • Etes must have RED flags

Flag Equipment:

  • Velcro must be on the outside of the belt
  • Flags must hang at player’s hips
  • If a receiver’s flags fall off, the ball will be dead where the receiver catches the ball

Field Size:

  • 80 yards long x 60 yards wide
  • Cones shall be placed to mark field of play

Field Equiptment:

  • Down Indicator
  • Line to gain indicators
  • 3 volunteers shall be provided to hold field equipment

Jewelry:

  • No jewelry may be worn on the field

Shirts:

  • Shall be tucked in so as not to interfere with pulling of flags

Blocking:

  • Must be above the waist and blocker may not leave her feet
  • If a blocker falls down, player may not make further contact with an opponent until player regains their standing position

Defensive Contact:

  • Defensive players may bump offensive receivers within the first 5 yards from the line of scrimmage
  • Defensive players shall avoid contact with the head of the offensive players

Eligible Receivers:

  • Every player, except the center and guards
  • A tipped pass makes every player eligible

Flags:

  • Must be worn by every eligible player

Flag Etiquette:

  • No wrapping flags around player’s flag belt
  • No 360 degree spinning
  • No flag shielding

Free Block Zone:

  • For the offense, four yards along the neutral zone and 3 yards into the offensive back field on either side of the ball
  • For the defense, one yard from the defensive neutral, along the defined free blocking zone of the offense
  • Once the ball leaves the zone, all blocking rules apply
  • Clipping and blocking to the back are permitted as long as all players are in the free blocking zone at the snap and the ball is still in the zone
  • All blocking rules apply to any player outside of the free blocking zone at the snap

Fumble:

  • Dead ball at point ball hits the ground

Interception:

  • Live ball

Muff On a Kickoff or Punt:

  • Is not a dead ball, but may be picked up and advanced. Defenders may move upon initial contact

Neutral Zone:

  • One foot from tip of ball

Number of Players:

  • Nine on the field at one time

Players on the Line:

  • Minimum of five players on the line (any part of the body) at the snap (within one yard of the scrimmage line)

Game Clock:

  • Running Time
  • Last two minutes of each half shall be regulation time

Game Length:

  • Two halves
  • Each half shall be 45 minutes

Halftime:

  • 15 minutes

Overtime:

  • None

Tie Score:

  • Game ends after regulation time has expired

Time Outs:

  • Each team shall have three time outs per half
  • Length shall be two minutes

Injury Time Out:

  • Clock shall be stopped for injuries

Coin Toss:

  • Before the start of the game, a coin toss shall determine which team will have the choice of kicking or receiving, or choice of side of the field
  • The team losing the toss shall have the choice at the beginning of the second half

First Downs:

  • Ten yards (in four plays or less)
  • Safety: two points
  • Touchdown: six points
  • Extra Point: none
  • Field Goal: no field goals

Kickoffs:

  • Freeze until the ball is touched by the receiving team. The kicking team may then pursue
  • Kickoffs may use a tee or be punted
  • Kickoffs must be from the 30 yard line
  • Receiving team must be at their 30 yard line
  • Receiving team may not make handoffs or pitches after the ball is touched by the initial receiver

Punts:

  • All other members of the receiving team will freeze (no blocking)
  • Must inform other team on the fourth down whether or not you will punt
  • No fake punts
  • Punter may pick up ball at the line of scrimmage without snap
  • Receiving team may not make handoffs or pitches after the ball is touched by the intial receiver
  • Block to the Back: greater of 15 yards or point of infraction
  • Clipping: greater of 15 yards or point of infraction
  • Delay of Game (45 seconds): five yards
  • Flag Shielding: five yards
  • Flag Pulling Before Reception: end of reception plus ten yards
  • Holding: five yards
  • Illegal Procedure: five yards
  • Kickoff Out of Bounds: 5 yards
  • Offside: 5 yards
  • Defensive Pass Interference: at point of infraction, except if in end zone ball placed on one yard line
  • Offensive Pass Interference: loss of down and ten yards
  • Tackling: 15 yards
  • Unnecessary Roughness: 15 yards
  • Unsportsmanlike Conduct: 15 yards

Scores by Year – Updated March 2019

Total Record – Bruzers 27 Wins, Etes 10 Wins, 3 Ties
Scoring: 6 points per touchdown; 2 points per safety. No field goals or extra points.

No.  YearStudents (Etes)Alumnae (Bruzers)
11978#620*
2197918*12
31980618*
4198112**12**
5198218*12
619831218*
7198424*12
819851842*
9198624*18
10198718*2
111988618*
121989036*
1319901236*
141991630*
1519923642*
1619931830*
17199424*12
1819951218*
1919961218*
2019973036*
2119981236*
2219991230*
232000024*
2420012436*
2520023642*
262003648*
27200430*12
2820051848*
2920061836*
30200742*30
312008+24**24**
32200912*8
3320102436*
342011036*
3520121836*
3620136**6**
3720141218*
3820151224*
3920161236*
402017618*
41201812*6

* Winner
** Tie
# 1978 Game was between 3rd Year Students (Class of 1979) and 2nd Year Students (Class of 1980)
+ 2008 Game was played in January of 2009 because the field was unplayable on the scheduled 2008 game date