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Mr. Hamada has made me who I
am today. From my arrival to Iolani as a 4th grader
in 1967, I watched year after year the Iolani
Football teams, train and compete. Never the biggest,
never the strongest, almost always the shortest
and skinniest, always the fewest in numbers, but,
proud, prepared, disciplined, and of course, ONE
TEAM, and what is that. I wanted to be on that
team. I soon realized as a 10th grader that I
finally got what I asked for, and trying to make
the varsity as a sophomore would not be an easy
task. 95 degrees in the mid-August summer, going
to football camp, 6 am morning run on the Mokuleia
Beach sands, practicing on the Waialua High School
football field, no water, the field dry like a
dessert, full football gear on, no water…
during these days, water was not given as it was
believed to cause side pain, forget about heat
exhaustion, that was never a concern. Running
100 yard sprints, again, and again and again.
For what, we never questioned, it never came across
our minds that we would stop and ask our coaches,
“excuse me, isn’t this too much, or
I quit”…. Call it stupidity, desperation,
or was it commitment, dedication, selflessness,
ONE TEAM. Maybe it was just seeing that we were
all in it together. It was a mental and spiritual
bond that the coaches forged together.
Staying together as ONE TEAM, sweating together
as ONE TEAM, exhausted together as ONE TEAM, almost
breaking down mentally as ONE TEAM, finishing
a good day of practice together as ONE TEAM, celebrating
a meal together as ONE TEAM. Helmets always on.
No one stood out. During game day, from the time
we boarded the buses with our uniforms, helmets
on, looking only forward, no talking, and focused
on the game to be played. On the field, helmets
on, no hot-dogging, ONE TEAM. What the coaches
said, goes, no questions. Win or lose, we always
won. No one person was a hero, it was all or nothing.
Our attitude was to be one going in and being
one going out. With each other, we always won.
Of course, we always strived to win. But if we
lost a game, we congratulated our opponent and
humbled ourselves knowing that we were beaten
by a better team. Individualism was downplayed,
and teamwork stressed. Everyone on the team was
important and was treated that way. Under Mr.
Hamada’s coaching, teaching and leadership,
he developed young men with character, resilience,
and mental fortitude. We were always for the underdog
(we did not like bullies and always protected
our team members), we remained humble, honorable,
with dignity, caring for each other as brothers.
We made sure that we were mentally and physically
prepared.
Mr. Hamada attracted respect and attention, not
by what he said, but what he did. A man of few
words, but when he spoke it was short, to the
point like a laser, and crystal clear. As young
men, we looked to him as our guiding light. To
this day, I have in my office at work a photo
with Mr. Hamada and me. I show it off proudly
stating that this is my roots. I treasure his
autographed football and practice sweats. Who
I am, what I do, how I treat my co-workers, how
I raised my children, and how I live my life,
over 40 years, is tied and connected through this
great man, Mr. Hamada, and his ONE TEAM teachings.
In closing, to all of you student-athletes, please
make ONE TEAM your way of life.
Thank you very much.
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