UH coach honors ‘the’ Chad Owens

Chad Owens might not be in the University of Hawaii’s Circle of Honor, but he was honored to be in the Warriors’ half-circle before the start of Thursday’s spring football practice.

UH coach Norm Chow spoke of Owens’ rise as a UH walk-on receiver/returner from Roosevelt High School to an NFL Draft pick to the Canadian Football League’s most outstanding player and a member of the Grey Cup champions in 2012.

Chow then said: “This is ‘the’ Chad Owens.”

“Coach Chow gave me the ‘the,’ ” Owens said. “Wow. That was something different.”

Chow said: “He’s a special guy with a special story. I wanted our players to know that story.”

Owens said he lives by this: “It’s all about what you want and how much you’re willing to sacrifice and how bad you want something.”

Owens had to overcome being cut after one NFL season and facing ACL surgery after being injured in an Arena Football League game.

Both times, Owens said, “there was a burning desire and a belief that it’s not over.”

Owens was overlooked as a Roosevelt senior. The Warriors were after a Chad, but it was quarterback Chad Kapanui, a three-sport star.

“I couldn’t see them giving out two scholarships to Roosevelt back then,” Owens said.

A decade after being a prolific receiver/returner for the Warriors, Owens was the CFL’s best offensive threat. Although he is entering the final year of his contract with the Toronto Argonauts, Owens decided not to play it safe. He had been cross-training at the UFC gym in Kakaako. He then figured: What the heck?

“I’ve always enjoyed watching the sport, and I wondered what would happen if I put some time and effort into it,” Owens recalled.

“This offseason happened to be the time.”

This past Saturday, he won a decision in a mixed martial arts fight at the Blaisdell Arena.

Will Owens, who turned 31, consider moving to the NFL after the 2013 CFL season?

“There are 32 teams,” he said. “Do I believe I can play there? Yeah, of course. Put me on the right team and in the right system.”

For now, as always, Owens finds support from his other team — his wife and three children.

“I think if I didn’t have a family, if I were by myself, maybe I wouldn’t have had the push,” Owens said.

“Maybe I would be like, ‘screw it, I’m good. I’ll do something else.’ I don’t know. I do believe through faith in God and the support of my family, they’re the X factor. They’re the reason I do what I do.

“It’s not easy. You go through a lot of hurt, fighting through injury, waking up to soreness. Man, at times, it’s not fun. In the end, it’s worth it.”

Winchester-Makainai meets with specialist

Offensive lineman Chauncy Winchester-Makainai met with a specialist to figure out the next way to treat his sore back. He began feeling discomfort during the 2012 season.

He has relied on intensive physical therapy instead of surgery.

Winchester-Makainai and left guard Mike Milovale are the Warriors’ only senior offensive linemen on the 2013 roster.

Warriors set to scrimmage Saturday

The Warriors will practice for about an hour this morning on their grass field.

On Saturday, they will be in full pads for the first time this spring. They are expected to conduct their first scrimmage. The Saturday practice begins at 11 a.m. and is open to the public.

There also will be a coaches clinic on Saturday, with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. There is a $10 fee, which covers food and refreshments. The clinic features seminars, discussions and the Warriors’ two-hour practice.

For details, call (808) 956-6508.