"When I got hit from the other guy, it was like, geez, that felt good," said David, 8. "It didn't hurt."

David, a 4-foot, 61-pound defensive tackle, called his debut in a 22-6 victory over the Moanalua Lions an exciting, but nervous experience.

Playing in front of the largest crowd in his athletic career of more than 100 at Kailua District Park, David overcame his jitters as the Sept. 4 game wore on.

The same couldn't be said for his mother, Victoria, who paced the sidelines with her camera.

"The anxiousness gets more and more," she said. "How come they aren't putting him in? When is he going in? He knows we're watching him. We're rooting for him."

During the game, the younger David was blocked to the ground on one play, and narrowly missed recording an assisted tackle on another. In total, David played in at least six plays for the defending Pee Wee state champions (ages 8-11).

"There was nothing I didn't like," David said. "My dad told me to play hard and never stop trying."

The Clarkes moved to Hawai'i two years ago from Italy and live at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i. Clarke's father, David, is a gunnery sergeant. The Clarkes are originally from Brooklyn, N.Y.

"He did well," said David's coach, Pat Lewis. "He wants to be in on every play. He's real enthusiastic about the game. He wants to learn everything. I love kids like that. He shoots the gap and grabs the quarterback's ankles."

6:30 a.m. — David Clarke Jr. sits with his mom, Victoria, at the breakfast table on the morning of his first game as a member of the Kailua Mustangs of the Junior Pee Wee division of Pop Warner Football.		6:38 a.m. — David makes a final check of his room before leaving for his first game as a member of the Kailua Mustangs Pee Wee football team. The football-themed decorations are just one sign of his enthusiasm for the sport.
7:40 a.m. — David gets help from his dad with his equipment before the start of the game. The coach picked him to play defensive tackle for the defending Pee Wee state champions.		8:06 a.m. — A nervous David fills up on water at the start of the game. The nerves died down after the game started. "When I got hit from the other guy, it was like, geez, that felt good, " he said.
8:41 a.m. — David kneeling, third from right, gets into his first game as a member of the Kailua Mustangs.		8:53 a.m. — David Clarke shouts out encouragement to his son's football team during its game against Moanalua.
9:18 a.m. — David, second lineman from bottom on the right, takes off after the ball is snapped.
10:05 a.m. — David, No. 65, lines up with his team to give the opposing Moanalua team a "nice game" slap on the shoulder pads after the Mustangs won.		10:09 a.m. — David was in the game for at least six plays and came close to making a tackle. "There was nothing I didn't like," he said afterward.

GOT A MOMENT?

As we pass through this world, we share essential common experiences — births, family life, schooling, adulthood, aging, death and all the joy and memories each day brings. This is the second installment of our monthly Moments of Life feature that shines a light on personal transitions and connections. Because these experiences are both universal and one of a kind, readers can enjoy the feature for its familiar aspects, as well as the information it provides about others’ way of life. We welcome your reactions or suggestions for future topics. Send comments to Island Life editor Elizabeth Kieszkowski, ekieszkowski@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8034.