Football's a labor of love for UH's Leonard
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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University of Hawai'i linebacker Adam Leonard is a monogamist.
His only love is football.
"It's been that way almost my entire life," said Leonard, who was raised in Seattle.
"My mom always tells me that when I was 2, I couldn't sit in front of a TV for more than a few minutes," he said. "When a commercial came on, I would start running around the house. But the first time I saw a football game, I sat there from beginning until end. After that, I told her, 'I want to play football.' "
For his third birthday, his mother gave him a plastic helmet and plastic shoulder pads.
"For a long time, I would put the helmet and pads on when I watched football on TV," Leonard said, smiling. "I just love the game. The first time I saw it, I fell in love. Football is my first love."
It has been a cruel romance. It cost him his right knee — a torn anterior cruciate ligament scared away recruiters during his senior season — and since the start of summer, it claimed his social life.
"It's just school and football," he said. "I can't remember the last time I went out and watched a movie. It's just being disciplined. I want to do well in school because I know, with football, it would be easy to put that part on the side. And I want to be committed to football. You know how medical or law students make sacrifices? Football is my job right now. If I want to do well, I have to make sacrifices."
Leonard, who is 6 feet and 230 pounds, overcame several challenges to become the Warriors' leading tackler this season, averaging 9.0 per game. He also has a sack, two quarterback hurries and three pass breakups.
He also filled in as the defensive signal-caller when his best friend, inside linebacker Solomon Elimimian, missed two games because of a knee injury.
"Adam is playing really well now," said Cal Lee, who coaches the inside linebackers. "The main thing is he's healthy."
That wasn't the situation last year — despite Leonard's claims.
After he missed most of his senior season at Rainier Beach High School because of the knee injury, the initial plan was for Leonard to redshirt as a UH freshman last year. But Leonard turned down that option, and played in eight games.
But his right knee was not fully healed. "He didn't believe me," defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said. "He didn't know he was limping until I showed him a video of him running."
Leonard said: "The video doesn't lie. I was surprised. Maybe it's because I wanted to play so much last year, but in my mind, I thought I was running fine."
Leonard said his knee began to improve during the offseason.
"It wasn't in one day," he said. "I didn't wake up and say, 'Wow. I feel great.' It was like, one day, it was 90 (percent). The next week, it was 91, then 92, and all the way until 100. It got to the point where you really couldn't tell anything was wrong."
Head coach June Jones praised Leonard's play and leadership.
"I told him last year it would take one football season to feel right again, and that's what it took," Jones said. "He's everything we hoped he would be."
The thing is, if Leonard were healthy as a high school senior, "there's no way we would have gotten him," Jones said. "Because he was hurt, we had a chance. Those are the kinds of kids we have to take a chance on and get. We're fortunate."
So, too, is Leonard. "I love it here. I know I made the right choice coming out here. This is a great program."
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UH FOOTBALL
WHAT: University of Hawai'i (2-2, 0-1 Western Athletic Conference) vs. Nevada (3-2, 0-1 WAC) WHEN: 6:05 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Aloha Stadium TV: Live on Oceanic cable pay-per-view digital. Call 625-8100 on O'ahu or (808) 643-2337 statewide. Delayed on KFVE Sunday 10 a.m. AUDIO WEBCAST: espn1420am.com VIDEO WEBCAST: Available through Hawaiian Telecom and KFVE. Tickets available for single game at $9.95, a full season for $39.95. Go to www.hawaiiantelmedia.com RADIO: Live on ESPN 1420, with warmup show at 4 p.m. Neighbor Island simulcasts on KAOI on Maui/Kona, KPUA in Hilo and KQNG on Kaua'i TICKET PRICES: $38 sideline, $32 South end zone, $27 North end zone (adult), $22 North end zone senior citizen, $22 North end zone students 4-18, $5 UH students. TICKET SALES: Available online at www.hawaiiathletics.com, by calling 944-2697 (BOWS) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or at Stan Sheriff Center, Aloha Stadium, UH Campus Center, RainBowtique at Ward Centre and Windward Community College's OCET Office during business hours. Convenience fees may apply. UH STUDENTS: Chancellor's Office is providing free bus transportation for UH students. Buses will pick up students on Dole Street in front of the Gateway House two hours before game time. The buses will leave the stadium 30 minutes after the game and return to the Gateway House. Signup sheets are at the front desks at each UH residence hall. PROMOTION: "Military Night," with members of each branch of the Armed Services being honored at halftime. Also, each member of the Armed Services, both active and reservists, will receive two tickets for the price of one (no limit). Valid military identification card is required when purchasing tickets. Offer available at the Aloha Stadium in advance and on game day. It is only available at the Stan Sheriff Box Office in advance (Monday- Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Tickets are in special sections. Other restrictions may apply. GATES OPEN: Parking lot 2:30 p.m.; Stadium gates 3 p.m. PARKING: $5 ALTERNATIVE PARKING (no tailgating): • Leeward Community College (free with $2 charge for shuttle service); • Kamehameha Drive-In ($5 with free shuttle service); • Radford High School ($3 with no shuttle service). All shuttle service runs from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and approximately one hour after the game ends. SECURITY: Only fanny packs, purses, backpacks and handbags will be allowed into stadium (subject to check). TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Sports Radio 1420 will provide traffic advisories and updates before each UH football home game. BUS SHUTTLES: Roberts Hawaii is offering round trip "air conditioned" shuttle bus services to Aloha Stadium for $6 from three O'ahu areas. Bus No. 3 will pick up at the Hawai'i Kai Park n' Ride at 4 p.m., at Bank of Hawai'i at Kahala Mall at 4:15 and proceed to the stadium. Bus No. 2 will pick up at the Kailua District Park, Kainalu Avenue at 4:15 p.m., at Windward Mall Shopping Center on Alaloa Street facing Sears at 4:30 and proceed to the stadium. Bus No. 1 will pick up at the Mililani Mauka Park n' Ride at 4:30 p.m. and go directly to the stadium. Reservations are required and service is first come, first serve. Call Roberts School Bus at 832-4886 for reservations and additional information. CITY BUS SERVICE The FootballExpress offers 17 pickup locations throughout O'ahu. The first trip from each location leaves approximately three hours before kickoff and the last trip leaves approximately 90 minutes before the game. Return trips leave as soon as the bus is full, with the final trip leaving 30 minutes after the game ends. Honolulu pickup locations are at Ala Moana, downtown, Hawai'i Kai, Kahala Mall, Kaimuki, Palolo, Waikiki and the University of Hawai'i. Leeward pickups are at 'Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Mililani Mauka and Village Park. Windward pickups are at Kalaniana'ole Highway and Kailua Road, Kailua Road at Keolu Drive and Hele Street, Kailua Road at Hahani Street, Kane'ohe Bay drive at Mokapu Boulevard and Kane'ohe Bay Drive at Makalani Street. Rates are $3 one way and $6 roundtrip. Passes and transfers are not accepted. For information, go to: http://www.thebus.org
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Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.
