Damien Packer wears his motivation under his sleeve.

On the inner side of his right bicep, the tattooed outline of Hawaii Island surrounds a block “P,” a tribute to the community in Puna and a reminder of the eyes tracking his progress with the University of Hawaii football team.

“There are so many people supporting me. Family, friends, my mom … there’s no way I would be here without her. Just a constant reminder of all the people that support me back at home,” Packer said of the inspiration behind the artwork completed just before fall camp.

“When times get hard, I’m just reminded I’ve got too many people that got my back, too many people that believe in me and sacrificed a lot for me to get here.”

As the first Keaau High School graduate to play Division I college football, Packer hopes his efforts in Manoa ripple back to the Big Island as he makes his push for a starting job in the Rainbow Warrior secondary in his senior season.

Packer has worked with the first unit at safety through the first three practices of camp in his continued ascent from a walk-on to a leader in the defensive backfield. Along with competing for playing time, Packer’s efforts are fueled by an appreciation of his role as an example for the younger members of the UH secondary and others perhaps starting their climb on the Big Island.

Packer earned All-BIIF honors as a receiver and defensive back at Keaau and it was in his sophomore year that Division I football became his post-high school target. He found a mentor in Daniel Pacheco, a math teacher who played college ball at UNLV and prodded Packer toward that objective.

“He basically instilled that dream in me that I had the potential to play,” Packer said.

He’s hoping to pass that vision on to the current Keaau players he works with when he returns to the Big Island between semesters.

“I feel I have a big impact on the kids back home,” Packer said. “I want to inspire them to chase their dreams because we came from the same area.”

Packer walked on with the Warriors in 2013 and carved out a role on special teams that eventually led to a scholarship after his freshman year. He bounced between receiver and defensive back before settling in the secondary last year, when he saw action in all 13 games either on special teams or as a backup safety.

He continued to move up the depth chart in the spring and opened fall camp by contributing to a solid opening performance for the secondary in Monday’s practice.

“Seeing him play the way he did (Monday) was just awesome,” said Abraham Elimimian, UH’s second-year secondary coach and former Warrior cornerback. “You’re seeing him have a little more swag. He’s a guy the young guys look up to. He’s going to do everything right. He’s going to be where he’s supposed to be. Now it’s just about him trusting the technique and doing his assignment.”

Packer’s mother, Angela, is an English teacher at Keaau Middle School and kept him mindful of his responsibilities off the field as well.

A double major in sociology and family resources and three-time academic All-Mountain West Conference honoree, Packer is on track to graduate in December with a long-range goal of returning to the high school level as an athletic director.

For the moment, he’s focused on “winning every practice.”

“I’ve waited a long time for this and I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles and I’m just blessed with the opportunity,” he said.