LaBoy's future is bright

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Defensive end Travis LaBoy walked on at UH after transferring from Utah State. He was named 2003 WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Advertiser library photo Travis Laboy Position: Defensive end Height: 6-3 1/2 Weight: 263 40 time: 4.66 225-pound bench: 36 repetitions Vertical jump: 35 1/2 inches Honors: Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, UH Most Outstanding Player. Northern California record-holder in one-man outrigger canoe paddling. Fun facts: He can juggle a football, tennis ball and apple. He took flying trapeze lessons.

Not on this weekend's National Football League draft, in which he is expected to be selected in the first three rounds, as a defensive end.

He is looking beyond that — years later, perhaps — when he will return to Hawai'i to grow old and content. Maybe he will open a restaurant but, for sure, he will work with children hindered by poverty, learning disabilities or medical problems.

Last year, he was a volunteer for Ho'olauna, his father's nonprofit organization, which tutors children. He also has filed the paperwork to start the Travis LaBoy Foundation, a not-for-profit organization benefiting children with autism and learning disabilities.

"I want to help less-fortunate people," LaBoy said. "There were a lot of people who helped me out, especially in Hawai'i. Growing up, I didn't have a silver-spoon-in-my-mouth experience. We weren't the richest family, but a lot of people were there for me. I'm going to find a way to pay them back."

LaBoy, who was raised in Larkspur, Calif., has always been a list-maker. When he was in eighth grade and his brother C.J. was a high school freshman, their mother, Angela Curley, told them they needed to think about college.

"Your stepdad has been wonderful, but I don't expect him to pay for college," Curley told her sons. "You've got choices. You can go into the military, get an academic scholarship, get a job or get an athletic scholarship."

Her sons decided to pursue athletic scholarships. C.J. and Travis were standout soccer and baseball players, but they chose to play football because the sport offered more college scholarships.

Curley put together "what we called player profiles" — one-page resumés that she sent to colleges across the West. C.J. received a partial football scholarship at UC Davis, where he played as a freshman. He then transferred to Saint Mary's, which offered him a full scholarship.

Travis LaBoy and his best friend, running back Alan Amundson, took recruiting trips to Hawai'i. But when UH did not offer a scholarship to Amundson, LaBoy signed with Utah State.

"Utah (State) promised he would start as a true freshman and its first game would be against Georgia," Curley said. "That's attractive to any 17-year-old."

But after the 1999 season, the Utah State coaches were fired. "I was close to them," LaBoy said. "I needed to go."

He wanted to transfer to UH, and asked the Utah State coaches for a release from his scholarship. By the time the request was granted, UH had filled its allotment of scholarships.

Curley and Travis' father, former UH defensive lineman Cliff Laboy — Travis spells his surname with a capital "B" — agreed to pay for the first year at UH.

"I had some family in Hawai'i," LaBoy said. "They helped me get by, with food and dinner and other stuff. There were a lot of people who helped me out."

In accordance with NCAA transfer rules, LaBoy was required to redshirt in 2000.

"There were no guarantees," he recalled. "I gave up a full scholarship at Utah State, but I knew I wanted to be in Hawai'i. I'm grateful Coach (June) Jones gave me an opportunity to walk on."

LaBoy was admittedly confident he could earn a scholarship. As a scout team member in 2000, his pass-rush moves gave fits to offensive linemen.

LaBoy, who earned a scholarship, was a starting defensive rush end in 2001 and 2002.

At the start of the 2003 spring semester, LaBoy was told he needed to earn 18 credits to be eligible for the 2003 season. He considered relinquishing his senior season and applying for the 2003 NFL draft. "He had to make a decision," Curley said. "He put all of his eggs into the academic basket."

LaBoy passed his six classes, with a 3.2 grade-point average.

Last September, the Warriors remained on the Mainland for consecutive road games against Southern California and Nevada-Las Vegas. LaBoy fell behind in his four classes, but believed his grade-point average and the 18 credits from the spring semester were enough cushion. He was mistaken. While he had enough credits for the regular season, he needed six credits accumulated during the fall semester to be eligible for the postseason. LaBoy, who was the Warriors' Most Outstanding Player and the Western Athletic Conference's 2003 Defensive Player of the Year, was ineligible for the Hawai'i Bowl.

"He knew he let a lot of people down," Curley said. "It was a hard pill to swallow. He wanted to make it up."

Agent Kenny Zuckerman assigned LaBoy to the Athletes Performance Clinic in Tempe, Ariz. The facility — staffed with nutritionists, dietitians, physical therapists, trainers and in-house chef — is designed to improve the performances of athletes.

The staff recommended increasing LaBoy's weight (he entered at 255 pounds) and improving his strength while maintaining his first-step quickness. He was put on a made-to-order diet. He also learned core-stability exercises to work smaller-muscle groups. "We call it 'prehab' — preventing injury," clinic manager Peggy Iralson said.

After eight weeks, 6-foot-3 LaBoy weighed 263 pounds when he reported to the NFL combine in Indianapolis. He ran 40 yards in 4.6 seconds. His T-drill time was 4.07 seconds (by comparison, no UH player finished the U-shaped, 20-yard course in under 4.1 seconds last month).

He had a private workout for the San Francisco 49ers last week. Last weekend, he met with the Baltimore Ravens.

Mel Kiper Jr., who analyzes the NFL draft for ESPN, had predicted LaBoy would be selected in the second round. Zuckerman agreed.

"It's like Christmas," Curley said. "You know you're going to get a gift. You just don't know what you're going to get."

LaBoy, who is back in Larkspur, is thinking of other things.

"I'm enjoying hanging out with my family, working out, being outdoors," he said. "I like being outdoors."

LaBoy, his girlfriend, former Rainbow volleyball player Nohea Tano, and several former teammates will watch the draft telecast at Curley's house.

"I'm not too excited right now," he said. "I'm just waiting to see what happens. It's always been a dream to play in the NFL. I hope I get that opportunity. A lot of people helped me get that opportunity — my family, my coaches and teammates. I want to give something back to all of them."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.

2004 NFL Draft Order

First Round

1. San Diego
2. Oakland
3. Arizona
4. New York Giants
5. Washington
6. Detroit
7. Cleveland
8. Atlanta
9. Jacksonville
10. Houston
11. Pittsburgh
12. New York Jets
13. Buffalo
14. Chicago
15. Tampa Bay
16. San Francisco
17. Denver (from Cincinnati)
18. New Orleans
19. Minnesota
20. Miami
21. New England (from Baltimore)
22. Dallas
23. Seattle
24. Cincinnati (from Denver)
25. Green Bay
26. St. Louis
27. Tennessee
28. Philadelphia
29. Indianapolis
30. Kansas City
31. Carolina
32. New England