New program prepares UH players for careers after football

After months of anticipation, the wait is nearly over. The University of Hawaii football team will open its training camp exactly one month before their season opener.

Ahead of hitting the two-tone turf at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, the offseason was all about growth, both on and off the field. In partnership with Ryan Tanaka’s Braddahhood Grindz, UH conducted the Warrior Pathway Professional Development Program.

“I always think about my former teammates and where they’re at in life,” said Timmy Chang, UH head coach. “When I ended playing football, it was about redirecting our attention and energy, and all our hard work that we put into the sport, just redirected to a path.”

Over the last six months, student-athletes underwent training in resume building and interviewing. They also welcomed 12 guest speakers representing a variety of careers, which resulted in internships for 12 Rainbow Warriors over the summer, creating a playbook for becoming a professional in something other than football.

“The community has done such an unbelievable job to be one degree away from a lot of important people here in the state that we can put them in front of and add value,” Chang added. “We’re developing young men and future leaders in our community. This program just paves the way for us.”

“You can’t play football forever,” said Elijah Palmer, UH sophomore defensive back. “So them giving us this opportunity means a lot. We learned a lot from multiple people in the community, top leaders in the community. We just had somebody from First Hawaiian Bank come to us this past week and share insight. It’s really important to all of us, offering us internships and stuff like that, so we get some insight on what life really has to offer.”

Chris Brown, associate head coach and linebackers coach, emphasized the importance of planning beyond a football career. “When we were playing, we banked everything on the NFL. We said we’re going to play 20 years in the NFL, and nobody made it that long. Some of us were pretty lucky to even get there. But what can they shoot for after football? Meeting different entrepreneurs, different businesses, CEOs of different companies, and just giving them different avenues. We want these boys to be successful not just in football, but in life. We want them to be able to provide for their families. This gives them a perfect opportunity to develop themselves.”

Guest Speakers:

Jahlani Tavai – Former UH Football Alum (Current New England Patriots)

Keani Alapa & Thomas Otake – Alapa & Otake Law Firm (Keani Alapa – UH Alum)

Abe Lee – Abe Lee Real Estate

David Overstreet – Chicago Bears Assistant Coach

John Fink – CEO United Way Hawaii

Christopher Flherty – Executive Officer 3Leaf (Developer)

Rose Wong – Owner (Kolohe Jewelry)

Charlene Calistro – Operation Manager (T&C Surf)

Jordan Oue – Owner (Oue Engineering LLC.)

George Hooker – Running for State Representative District 20 (UH Alum)

Greg Hackler – Vice President and Private Banking Officer of First Hawaiian Bank

Jason Rivers – UH Football Alum

Summer internships:

Jake Farrell – Prince Waikīkī Hotel Junior Ambassador

Ben Falck, Landon Sims, Christian Perry – First Hawaiian Bank

Noah Kema – Hawai’i Pacific Health

Justin Sinclair – Abe Lee Realty

Zhen Sotelo – Domino’s Hawai’i

Brandon Shah – Unyqe Fitness

Kimo Holo Holt-Mossman – Fire Department

Dion Washington, Jamar Sekona, Elijah Robinson – Paradise Protection

If you are interested in being a part of the program in 2025, you can contact Rainbow Warriors general manager Keiki Misipeka at misipeka@hawaii.edu

Kickoff to 23 training camp practices is set for Wednesday morning at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.

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