Birth of child doesn't excuse Manuwai
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
After returning from a two-day paternity leave yesterday, University of Hawai'i football player Vince Manuwai was greeted with an order to run eight 220-yard sprints as punishment for missing unsupervised workouts last week.
"Come on, Coach, he's an All-American," wideout Jeremiah Cockheran yelled to associate head coach George Lumpkin, who declined to issue a pardon.
Monday night, Manuwai, a senior right guard, was named to The Associated Press' All-America second team, and the following night, his girlfriend, Jaime Paulo, gave birth to a boy, the couple's second child. They have a 2-year-old daughter, and Manuwai also has adopted Paulo's 6-year-old son.
"It means more to me to be a father than an All-American," Manuwai said.
After serving as Paulo's "coach," Manuwai said: "I have a lot of respect for women. Giving birth is not easy."
Paulo was admitted to Kaiser Permanente Tuesday afternoon. But she did not dilate enough, and she refused the option of inducing labor.
Instead, Paulo and Manuwai returned to her parents' home in Kane'ohe. But once there, "her contractions started big," he said.
They rushed to the Kane'ohe fire station. Then Paulo was taken by ambulance to Castle Medical Center in Pohakapu near Kailua.
"Kaiser was too far away," Manuwai recalled. "We got there at 9:30 and she gave birth at 10:30."
Manuwai said they have not decided on a name yet.
"We had one ready, and now we're trying to get the feeling of it," he said.
Manuwai said he is delighted to have been named the fourth first-team football All-American in the school's history when he was chosen by CNN/Sports Illustrated two weeks ago.
"I never thought it would happen," said Manuwai, a 1999 Farrington High graduate. "In fact, my freshman year, I never thought I would play here because of all of the guys they were bringing in. ... Sometimes I trip out. I think, 'Wow, I'm an All-American.' It's very exciting."
• Peters on track: Starting strong safety Hyrum Peters, whose sprained left knee forced him to miss the regular-season finale Dec. 7, expects to play in Wednesday's ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl.
"I'd say I'm at 70 percent," Peters said, "but everything is cool. I can break and I can plant (the left foot). The only problem is going straight ahead at full speed. I'm working on that."
Peters said he hopes to begin practicing by tomorrow. UH coach June Jones' policy is that injured players must practice two days before a game to start.
"I've got until Monday to prove I can play," Peters said.
Meanwhile, starting right cornerback Abraham Elimimian wore Peters' No. 33 jersey during the last three practices.
"I'm doing it for Hyrum," said Elimimian, who is recovering from a sore hip flexor. "Hyrum has become one of my really good friends on the team. It makes me happy to do this, like he's out on the field with us."
• Playing tourist: Last night, the Warriors checked into the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel, where they will reside through Christmas Day.
Tulane, UH's opponent, is scheduled to arrive this morning by charter flight from New Orleans.
