After missing his sophomore football season with an eye injury, Kala’i Kamalii showed up early and often at Hilo High’s conditioning program in February, “pushing and pushing” to try and make varsity.
Along the way, he earned a nice perk.
Coach Kaeo Drummondo likes to say that every facet of the Vikings’ BIIF dynasty starts with hard work along Waianuenue Avenue, and the machinations were in full affect Wednesday during voluntary workouts. One group of players shuffled out of the weight room at Hilo’s campus, as another shuffled in, to do planks on a sidewalk before hitting the practice field.
The end game is to get to Oahu and the HHSAA Division I championship game as Hilo has the past two years. And some of the Vikings, Kamalii included, recently made a trip to Honolulu as guests of the Los Angeles Rams and the Hawaii Tourism Authority at a football clinic.
“It was business trip,” Kamalii said, though it was an all-expenses paid one. “They gave us free sub sandwiches, dinner, paid for hotel, transportation. They paid for everything.”
Drummondo and offensive coordinator Chris Todd took 35 players to the three-day clinic at Iolani School, where the team got to mingle and practice with seven other teams that made the state football playoffs last season: St. Louis, Mililani, Kahuku and Campbell in the Open division, Waipahu in Division I and Lahainaluna and Kapaa in D-II.
“The bigger players who were better in technique than me, they told me what to do and what I could improve on,” said Kamalii, who is primed to compete for a defensive tackle position.
Hilo reached the semifinals of the 7 on 7 passing contest, losing to Campbell, the eventual champion, and there were big-man competitions as well as skills stations, with Junior Prep Sports Hawaii, the Rams coaching clinic staff on hand to facilitate.
Nothing against Drummondo and his staff, but Kamalii said it’s nice to have a fresh face give guidance, if only for a day or two.
“I like it when we get new coaches,” he said. “They have their own way of teaching and their perspective of how it should be done.”
Zeke Tomaselli, the Vikings’ life coach as well as a junior varsity assistant, said the group of players chosen for the trip was based on a meritocracy
“Showing up to practice, character and potential,” he said.
The clinic was held June 14-16, two months before the Rams’ preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Aloha Stadium.
Safety John Johnson, a two-year pro with the Rams, was on hand at the clinic as was Pisa Tinoisamoa, a former Rams linebacker and a University of Hawaii alum.
“The message I want to share is, you got to work for what you want,” Tinoisamoa said in release. “You have to make good choices. It’s nice to be a good football player and all that, but it’s even better to be a great human being.”
Senior offensive lineman Sione Holani wasn’t able to attend the Rams’ clinic because of a prior engagement, but he understands Tinoisamoa’s sentiment.
Holani was a co-captain last season after going through Tomaselli’s character class, and he’s set to hold the same role leadership role this season, though he may switch from guard to center along the offensive line.
He’s no stranger to putting in work, including Wednesday, when he just as well could have been home playing video games.
“It started my freshman year, especially after practice, staying back hitting bags and getting my technique down,” he said, “because that was my first year ever playing football.
“I still have to prove myself (today), I don’t want to feel entitled to anything.”
Tomaselli said 80 players signed up for spring practice, and about 50-60 show up for voluntary conditioning. That number, he said, is actually on low end for the Vikings during their six-year BIIF title streak.
“We definitely have a lot more participating in the younger classes,” Holani said. “Before, it was mostly varsity, but now more underclassmen are coming out.
“They are getting stronger and putting in their work. One day they’ll be in our shoes.”
Holani was sporting a Kansas Jayhawks T-shirt for this workout. His brother Isi finished up his eligibility in Lawrence, Kansas, last season.
Isi Holani’s final high school season was in 2013, the year Hilo established its reign, and Sione is counting down the days to July 15, when the Vikings can hit the practice field full throttle to get the ball rolling again.
“I look forward to the practices,” he said, “We can start earlier and get everything down.
“This is our last year. We want to get as much practices as we can and make it memorable.”
