POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Aug 14, 2010
For University of Hawaii football player Liko Satele, one of life's lessons is there are no secrets from his mother.
Following Thursday night's team meeting during which he was awarded a football scholarship, Satele tried to call his parents with the good news. Before he could hit speed call, he noticed there was a congratulatory voice message from his mother, former Rainbow Wahine volleyball player Lee Ann Satele.
"She knew before I knew," he said, smiling.
LeeAnn said: "We have our saying: 'You can't go far before I find out what you're doing.'"
Head coach Greg McMackin said Satele was an easy choice for the scholarship.
"Here's a kid who went to Lambuth (University in Jackson, Tenn.), then came back because he missed Hawaii," McMackin said. "He's really worked his way up from the bottom. I couldn't be happier. If we have a guy on our team who is good enough to help us win, then he should be on scholarship. He deserved it."
Satele, a 2007 graduate of Word of Life Academy, joined the Warriors in August 2008. He redshirted that year, in accordance with NCAA transfer rules, and was a part-time starter in 2009. He is the No. 1 defensive left end in training camp.
"He's worked so hard," said defensive tackle Vaughn Meatoga, who has served as Satele's mentor. "He's one of those guys who gets better and better. It's all due to his hard work. He's one of the hardest-working guys out here. When I heard he got (the scholarship), it gave me chicken skin."
Lee Ann Satele joked that her son now can afford to chip in for gas money.
Liko Satele said he is happy to abandon the liquid-only breakfasts. During the regular season, only scholarship players are allowed to eat training-table meals for free.
"I can eat training table after practice," Satele said. "I don't have to go lift weights to get (a protein drink) to eat."
Umu makes most of opportunity
Kamalu Umu had a difficult path to the starting job at defensive right end.
Umu, who redshirted in 2009 after transferring from Charleston Southern, needed to earn 18 credits this summer to be eligible to play this coming season. He took three three-credit classes in each of UH's two summer sessions. The second term ended yesterday.
"There was plenty of pressure," Umu said.
With practices, weight training, meetings and a lights-out curfew, Umu figured he had a little more than 2 hours for studying each day.
"It's tough because you only have so much time," he said. "During the free time, you'd rather relax than do homework. But you have to do what you have to do."
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