‘Heart of a Warrior’ scholarship established

A scholarship honoring Brian Kajiyama, the only person with cerebral palsy to have had an on-field role with a Division I college football team, has been established.

Kajiyama, now an instructor at the University of Hawaii’s College of Education, was a graduate assistant for the UH football team during two of the Warriors’ most successful seasons, 2006 and 2007.

His story gained national attention in a 2008 ESPN report, which also featured Jeff Reinebold, who was Kajiyama’s fellow coach at UH. Reinebold is chairing the Brian Kajiyama Heart of a Warrior scholarship committee.

"It is my hope that this scholarship can give children who have gone through and triumphed over adversity a better chance to earn a college degree, which will open many doors of opportunity," Kajiyama said.

The amount of the scholarship has not been determined yet. It will be administered through the June Jones Foundation. Jones was the head coach at UH who brought Kajiyama onto the UH football staff.

"This project has been eight years in the making, and we are grateful to the June Jones Foundation," Reinebold said. "Coach Jones looked past Brian’s disability and saw his abilities. Brian was a daily reminder of the power in belief, embodying true toughness and exhibiting what a positive attitude can accomplish."