Clinic becomes blocking party

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

It began rather innocently with a special request for one parent's son.

With his ankles shackled by a rubberized band, Enoka Lucas passes a medicine ball to another student during a drill camp for linemen at Kapaolono Park in Kaimuki. Kyle Sackowski • The Honolulu Advertiser

Think about it. There are summer pass leagues for high school skill position football players. But when it comes to offensive linemen — usually the biggest players on the field, yet the least noticed — there is nothing. Until January 1998.

"Gary Loo called me one day and said, 'Can you help my son get a scholarship?' " said Derby, an offensive lineman for the University of Hawai'i from 1981-1985.

Today, Loo's son, Keola Loo, a 1999 St. Louis School graduate, is an offensive lineman with the Warriors' football team.

Word spread as fast as UH run-and-shoot offense scores. Soon, others joined in. Word spread some more and Derby has since had to divide the players into two groups. One for more advanced players and another for those with little experience.

"Now, there's a waiting list," Derby said. "We try to keep it at 50."

Think tank

While the original purpose was to help one person improve his chances of playing NCAA Division I football, Derby welcomes players of all skill levels. This is where players shelve their egos.

Former University of Hawai‘i offensive lineman Brian Derby, founder of the linemen’s camp, demonstrates a drill. Kyle Sackowski • The Honolulu Advertiser

"You learn something new every time you go somewhere," said Kreutz. "Everybody does things a little different. You pick up things from everybody."

Former Crusader all-state lineman Dominic Raiola was a two-time All-American at Nebraska and was the Detroit Lions' second-round draft pick. Even though he comes from a program noted for producing top offensive linemen, he said Derby's clinics are invaluable.

"I went to Nebraska, a running (oriented) school," Raiola said. "That helped me fine-tune my running (blocking), but I can work on my pass blocking here."

Even though they are pros, Kreutz and Raiola don't "big league" the other participants.

They work the hardest, knowing their every move is being watched carefully by the younger players. Likewise, the young players want to impress the NFL players.

"It rubs off on them," Derby said. "How many kids can say they worked out with a pro? And they (the younger players) want to look good in Olin's and Dominic's eyes."

For the 14-year-old Williams, the clinic isn't just a learning experience, it's fantasy camp.

"They're my idols," Williams said of Kreutz and Raiola. "They lead me by example."

Williams is the type of player who benefits a lot. The 6-foot, 255-pound third-year starting center for the Warriors' intermediate team was too heavy to play Pop Warner. But he started attending Derby's clinics in the sixth grade, a year before could play intermediate ball at Kamehameha. When he showed up for tryouts, he was confident because of the experience he gained.

"When I went out (for football), I was already ahead (in skills) of most of the guys," said Williams.

Even UH linemen have participated in Derby's clinics.

Word of mouth

Symbolic of offensive linemen's life in anonymity, Derby's clinic had no fanfare. Although there has been no publicity about it, the clinic gained popularity by word of mouth. Participants come from as far as Waialua. Others come from the Neighbor Islands.

Tyler Williams, left, and Chaz Kekipi do a drill designed to improve agility. Kyle Sackowski • The Honolulu Advertiser

Hinano's father is former Waiakea coach Tim Lino, vice principal at Kealakehe. The elder Lino has worked clinics with Derby in Utah and Japan.

"As far as offensive line coaches are concerned, Brian is one of the very best, bar none, at any level," Tim Lino said. "His ability to each technique, skills and his attention to detail. In the formative years, when the kids are young, his ability to teach fundamentals is no less excellent."

Most of Kailua High's starting offensive line participates. Guards Samson Satele, nephew of former UH player Alvis Satele, and Xavier Hoolulu, center Marques Kaonohi and tackle Kahai Lacount make the ride from the Windward side.

"Brian does an outstanding job," Kailua coach Darren Johnson said. "Everybody we've sent to him has made it to the next level. Everybody has so much respect for him. It's limited, so I'm thankful that he lets me bring my whole offensive line."

A former Surfrider who learned from Derby and has continued to play in college is Lokahi Travis, who will enroll at the College of Canyons junior college.

Kamehameha's varsity also is well-represented with Reyn Kaupiko and Enoka Lucas. Lucas, a senior, is hoping to land a football scholarship.

"We do a lot of drills that we don't do at Kam," Lucas said.

Tyler Williams absorbs a hit from a fellow lineman during a drill at Brian Derby’s offensive lineman’s camp at Kapoalono Field. Kyle Sackowski • The Honolulu Advertiser

"It's not like we're playing against each other," Kaupiko said. "We're playing against their defense."

At the clinic's peak, 50 players will show up. But it varies. The pros have mini-camps to attend in the offseason, the college players have spring drills, as do the public school players.

Toward the summer, the turnout drops as players leave for school or begin working out with their own high schools.

And the clinic isn't limited to just players. High school and youth league coaches also observe the sessions.

Priceless

You can't put a price on the benefits the clinic bestows. For one thing, there is no charge. All Derby asks is that if a player can't make a workout that he call to let him know. Three unexcused absences and the player is not allowed back. The next player on a waiting list replaces him.

Derby, formerly an assistant for 11 years at Punahou, had done other clinics before. He also does one in Japan, most recently helping Hosei University win the national championship. Last month, he ran a clinic for a high school in Utah.

"I knew he did stuff on a smaller scale before," Loo recalled. "We talked a little about it and he said get back to me in January."

That was during the 1997 O'ahu Prep Bowl, when Keola Loo was a junior at St. Louis. Derby recalls Gary Loo calling on Jan. 2.

"That's when I knew he was serious," Derby said.

Today is the final workout for the year. Kreutz and Raiola left two weeks ago for their respective training camps. Kamehameha all-state lineman Donovan Raiola left earlier for his first college workouts with Wisconsin. And all of the high school players will begin practicing with their schools beginning this week.

For Derby, the reward is just following the progress of his students. Williams was named outstanding lineman among high school-aged players at UH's football camp.

"For me, it's seeing these kids improve, seeing them become better players, seeing them become better people, better sons and better students," Derby said. "It's going to games, watching them perform well and seeing them become all-stars. Hopefully a few of our players will get scholarships. That's my goal to give them a chance to be successful in whatever they do in life."

Note: The clinic will not start again until the end of January. For information, page Brian Derby at 290-2525 or Gary Loo at 739-7777. The clinics run either Saturdays or Sundays, depending on Derby's work schedule. Derby prefers participants to be at least in the seventh grade with special cases made for those who are younger. He limits the clinic to 50.