UH football clinic wraps up

LIHU‘E — The weather was perfect again for the third and final day of the Speed and Quickness clinic at Vidinha Stadium as the trades provided some welcome relief to the morning heat.

University of Hawai‘i head football coach Greg McMackin had a busy day, appearing at the County Council meeting in between football sessions.

“We play for the whole state of Hawai‘i, wear Hawai‘i on our shirts,” he told the council. “It’s good for our players to touch the people they represent.”

He also indicated that his program is considering coming out to Kaua‘i in the spring to scrimmage, then headed back over to the stadium for the final session of the week.

Coach McMackin said that the goal of this free clinic, on the football side, was to teach the fundamentals and proper technique. Creating an environment of camaraderie was also an important component.

“We wanted to promote competition and harmony,” he said. “It can be a violent sport but we’ve got to be sportsmen.”

McMackin gave much of the credit and praise to Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. for his involvement and organization, along with the Anti-Drug office.

“Bernard made this happen,” he said.

The second-year head coach said he felt that the turnouts were outstanding. According to the Anti-Drug office, Wednesday saw 103 kids come out for the early-morning session for ages 12 and under, and 203 played in the second session for 13 and up.

McMackin sees the clinic as a great opportunity for he and his coaches to get to know the kids of Kaua‘i, as well as to generate some goodwill and build local relationships.

“I love Kaua‘i,” he said. “I come out here with my wife. I’m from Oregon, so the inside of the island is a lot like Oregon and the outside is like Hawai‘i.”

Coach McMackin has been impressed with the quality athletes that he sees on Kaua‘i. He knows that they have been schooled well and that “there is good coaching over here.”

The month of July isn’t usually his busy time of year and he always gives his coaching staff the month off. However, they all volunteered to help out with the clinic.

UH redshirt sophomore Jett Jasper, from Lihu‘e, was on hand each day to help out the coaching staff and worked mainly with the wide receivers.

Also assisting was Jamilee Jimenez of the UH wahine track and field team. Jimenez attended Kaua‘i High School and still holds the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation records in the high jump, the long jump and is a member of the record-setting 4×100 team.

At the end of the clinic, the athletes gathered and listened to final thoughts from much of the coaching staff, as well as Carvalho. They discussed both the football and anti-drug attitudes these three days were designed to cultivate. Theresa Koki of the Anti-Drug office said that Carvalho spoke to the kids “as a Mayor, a former UH player and a dad” to let them know that there will always be someone in their lives for them to turn to.

“This was an excellent clinic and we appreciate the opportunity for the coaches to come over and mentor our kids,” she said. “They get to learn not just the rules of the game, but the rules of life, itself.”

With the summer practice season approaching, McMackin turns his sights to the upcoming 2009 Warrior football season.

Prior to his first season as head coach, McMackin only had two of the previous 11 offensive starters returning to the team. While it was a struggle at the outset, he says they have rebuilt and have really improved.

Now, heading into his second year, 10 defensive players are gone from last year’s squad. Instead of panic, McMackin exudes confidence and feels the program doesn’t need to look far in order to fill those positions.

“I believe our base is in Hawai‘i,” he said. “I know we can find 11 Hawaiian kids who want to hit.”

Former Kaua‘i student-athletes Kenny Estes, from Waimea, and Vaughn Meatoga, from Kalaheo, are projected as potential starters for the 2009 Warriors squad.