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For a rookie marksman, University of Hawaii defensive coordinator Corey Batoon was at home on the range.
“It was the first time with a gun in my hand,” said Batoon, who led eight other UH football coaches in an accuracy competition Saturday at Schofield Barracks. Using an M4 carbine, Batoon pierced the square target with all 14 of his shots.
“And the clusters were really tight, too,” Batoon said, smiling.
For the third year in a row, the Rainbow Warriors spent a day in leadership training, group problem solving and fellowship as guests of the Army on the Central Oahu base. The players — who were divided into offensive and defensive groups — participated in an obstacle course and solved challenges such as moving a box from one side to another by using planks to build bridges. The coaches participated in shooting contests using assault rifles.
The obstacle courses and group challenges changed from the past two years, according to Col. Robert Ryan, one of the coordinators. “It was good for us — sudden change,” head coach Nick Rolovich said. “They got here, and it was completely different from what they expected.”
But the goal was the same.
“I think at the very least,” Rolovich said of the Warriors’ interaction with real-life warriors, “our players needed to understand how much (of) a sacrifice (the military makes) for their ability to use their thumbs freely on social media, to walk around and smile, and to not live in fear. At the very least, they’ll grow up and teach their kids that same respect.”
Quarterback Cole McDonald said the group challenges were the most intriguing.
“It’s always interesting to see how the guys come together and strategize,” McDonald said. “One of the things you learn from this is communication. You can’t have everybody talking at once. You have to have a plan.”
Running back Freddie Holly led a group that ranged from 5-foot-8, 185-pound Miles Reed to 6-2, 290-pound Taaga Tuulima. “We came together and used everybody’s ideas,” Holly said.
Some assignments appeared to be insurmountable, such as JR Hensley, a 6-5, 310-pound lineman, trying to figure out how to shimmy up a 15-foot pole. Gravity eventually won, but Hensley gave it a shot.
“When you have a lot of good men and women around here supporting us, you want to do your best and put on a show for them,” Hensley said.
The team of defensive end Max Hendrie and hybrid end Derek Thomas won the obstacle-course race in 3 minutes, 12 seconds. “We went into it knowing we wouldn’t lose,” Thomas said. “That was the mind-set going into it.”
Hendrie said: “To be honest, it’s all mental. I mean, if you’re not fit, it won’t go well. But football players are all fit. But to do well in something like that is how much you want it. It’s only three minutes of hard work. If you know you can smash it for three minutes, good things are going to come.”
The most popular segment was when the players were allowed to hold a variety of weapons. “It’s always cool seeing what we see on a screen in real life,” said McDonald, an avid “Fortnite” player.
Hensley said: “This is real-life ‘Fortnite.’ I was holding a bazooka earlier. It was something out of my wildest dreams, something I always wanted to do. I posed (with) it. It was incredible. The feeling of raw power was the greatest experience. … Until I hold my first child, I don’t think I can hold an item that would be that satisfying in my life. Unless, of course, it’s another bowl ring.”
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