UH's local recruits do more than stay at home

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Imagine you are a top football prospect from a Hawai'i high school. What more could you gain from a University of Hawai'i recruiting trip than from your own tour of O'ahu?

UH linebacker Matt Wright hangs out with recruits Hausia Faleofa, center, and Andy Endermann, right. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I had more fun on my UH trip than on any other trip," said UH offensive lineman Uriah Moenoa, who often is used as a host for recruits.

Here's what a recruit can expect:

• Lunch at Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch & Crab. The UH coaches choose this restaurant for the food and casual atmosphere. It is so popular that often coaches not assigned to a recruit tag along, anyway.

• Evening at Blue Tropix Nightclub. Even more impressive than the DJs (DJ Evil and Jedi), pupu (poke, blue crab dip, steamed clams with tiramisu) and celebrities (Dennis Rodman and Jerry Rice) are the regulars. "Everybody is pretty friendly," UH linebacker Keani Alapa said.

Under-aged recruits are not allowed to drink alcohol, but they can sing karaoke and dance. "We have a large dance floor," owner Darren Tsuchiya said. "It goes with the large football players."

• The Jersey. During a tour of the athletic facilities, a recruit is led into the football locker room, where he will find a black Warrior jersey with his name printed in green. Recruits are allowed to wear the jersey throughout the rest of the tour.

"I wanted to sign right there," Kailua High offensive lineman Marques Kaonohi had said. Instead, he waited a day before committing to UH.

• Campus tour. Each recruit is assigned a mentor, who answers questions about academics and college life.

"My guide was very prepared," said Mesepa "Sepa" Reed, a St. Louis School offensive lineman. "She knew all about me."

The last stop is a meeting with academic adviser Leon Schumaker. Schumaker offers advice on courses, as well as what a recruit needs to do to become eligible to play for an NCAA school.

• The highlight film. Each recruit receives a book of UH courses and a football media guide. Before a recruit leaves, he either watches or is handed a highlight videotape of the 2001 season. Produced by KFVE, which owns the local television rights to UH sports, the videotape is 25 minutes of chicken skin.

"That was cool," said Ross Dickerson, a St. Louis School slotback who committed to UH. Dickerson was UH's guest at most home games, yet, "It was exciting to see the tape."

During the team banquet in December, UH officials tried to hurry through the program because they wanted prospect David Lofton, son of former NFL standout James Lofton, to watch the highlight show. But they were unsuccessful, and Lofton departed for the airport before the video could roll. Lofton committed to Stanford.

• One on one. On the final day, a recruit meets with UH coach June Jones.

"He talks about college and our goals," said Reed, the St. Louis lineman. "He knew I was interested in going away, and he told me to do what was best. It wasn't like, 'I really, really want you.' He didn't force it. He let me make my own decision. That's what was so good about the talk. He seemed really down to earth. You can talk to him freely."

Last week, Reed verbally committed to UH.