09-27-2018, 06:35 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-29-2018, 08:49 AM by JKortesi81.)
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]A Man of Strength
Ikaika Kalilimoku is always ready for a challenge, his whole life has been one. Growing up on the shores of Kahuku, Hawaii as the oldest of seven brothers and sisters, Ikaika took on a head of the household role when he was eight and his father died in a surfing accident and Ikaika started working at his uncle's resturant as a busboy to help his mother pay for bills. Ikaika wanted to play peewee football with his cousins but because he was working so much he always missed practice. It wasn't until he turned ten when his uncle persuaded him to play football and he joined the local team. Always a bigger kid for his age, Ikaika was placed on the both lines and quickly excelled on both sides of the ball. When he got to his freshman year of high school Kalilimoku was named starting defensive tackle for famed Kahuku High School and by the time he graduated he was named the #1 prospect in the state of Hawaii, Gatorade Player of the Year and was loaded with multiple college offers from every school you could imagine. Then another tragedy struck the his family when his mother passed away from cancer and Ikaika chose to stay close home to take care of his family and committed to the University of Hawaii only 52 miles away from home.
As a freshman Ikaika was tagged as a reserve defensive tackle in the Warriors new 3-4 scheme but when starting Defensive End Manu Vakapuna tore his ACL, Ikaika was asked to play a position he never played before in his third collegiate game. In his fourth game Kalilimoku racked up five tackles, three for loss and two sacks and his career as a defensive end began. He finished the season with forty-six tackles, twenty of them were for loss with eleven sacks. Ikaika was the star of the defense and he was just getting started after taking home Freshman All-American honors, Kalilimoku continued his All-American ways in his Sophomore season and Junior season. It was after his junior season where he took home the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, The Walter Camp Trophy and was a semi-finalist for the Heisman. Many people expected Ikaika to declare for the NFL Draft and leave UH, but he decided to return for his senior year to help guide the Warriors to a BCS bowl but in Week 9 of the schedule Ikaika tore his labrum in his right shoulder (out for the season) and the Warriors lost to San Diego State and their BCS hope were shattered. After surgery Ikaika quickly trained for his next step in his career, the NSFL.
447 Words
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Ikaika Kalilimoku is always ready for a challenge, his whole life has been one. Growing up on the shores of Kahuku, Hawaii as the oldest of seven brothers and sisters, Ikaika took on a head of the household role when he was eight and his father died in a surfing accident and Ikaika started working at his uncle's resturant as a busboy to help his mother pay for bills. Ikaika wanted to play peewee football with his cousins but because he was working so much he always missed practice. It wasn't until he turned ten when his uncle persuaded him to play football and he joined the local team. Always a bigger kid for his age, Ikaika was placed on the both lines and quickly excelled on both sides of the ball. When he got to his freshman year of high school Kalilimoku was named starting defensive tackle for famed Kahuku High School and by the time he graduated he was named the #1 prospect in the state of Hawaii, Gatorade Player of the Year and was loaded with multiple college offers from every school you could imagine. Then another tragedy struck the his family when his mother passed away from cancer and Ikaika chose to stay close home to take care of his family and committed to the University of Hawaii only 52 miles away from home.
As a freshman Ikaika was tagged as a reserve defensive tackle in the Warriors new 3-4 scheme but when starting Defensive End Manu Vakapuna tore his ACL, Ikaika was asked to play a position he never played before in his third collegiate game. In his fourth game Kalilimoku racked up five tackles, three for loss and two sacks and his career as a defensive end began. He finished the season with forty-six tackles, twenty of them were for loss with eleven sacks. Ikaika was the star of the defense and he was just getting started after taking home Freshman All-American honors, Kalilimoku continued his All-American ways in his Sophomore season and Junior season. It was after his junior season where he took home the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, The Walter Camp Trophy and was a semi-finalist for the Heisman. Many people expected Ikaika to declare for the NFL Draft and leave UH, but he decided to return for his senior year to help guide the Warriors to a BCS bowl but in Week 9 of the schedule Ikaika tore his labrum in his right shoulder (out for the season) and the Warriors lost to San Diego State and their BCS hope were shattered. After surgery Ikaika quickly trained for his next step in his career, the NSFL.
447 Words
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