Photo Gallery | VIDEO: Football Summer Team Building at Army's 25th Infantry Division

WAHIAWA – The University of Hawai'i football participated in a series of team-building exercises with the U.S. Army 25th Infantry "Tropic Lightning" Division at Schofield Barracks Saturday for a powerful and unforgettable day of adventure, leadership training, and military appreciation.
 
The event was organized by Col. (ret.) Trey Johnson, UH ROTC's adjunct professor of leadership and former strength and condition coach with the football program when head coach Nick Rolovich was a player at the UH in the early 2000s.
 
"The University of Hawai'i has an amazing ROTC program and a legacy of Warriors," said Gen. Robert B. Brown of the U.S. Army Pacific. "Some of those graduates were friends of football players and they realize the connection—leadership is leadership whether it's on the battlefield or the football field. The opportunity to show these guys what the Army does and how we form teams and to build on that great legacy, it's just a great idea."
 
The day started with an opening ceremony on campus as the team paid visit to the Fallen Warrior Memorial at the UH Army ROTC Building, just a short walk from the team's practice facilities. There the team paid tribute to the 16 UH ROTC alum who sacrificed their lives in defense of our country, while hearing inspirational speeches from Lt. Col. John Carson and Col. (ret.) Dave Brostron.
 
The team then made their way to Schofield Barracks and the Nainoa Hoe Mission Training Complex, named in honor of a former UH ROTC battalion commander who presented the colors at Rainbow Warrior football games before ultimately losing his life in Iraq. There, members of the 25th Infantry received the team with a traditional ha'a and the team followed suit with a haka of their own, before being welcomed into the training complex.
 
The Rainbow Warrior offense and defense were then split up with each group visiting a pair of training sites for a variety of exercises throughout the day. They included among other things blindfolded tug-of-war and group obstacle courses that engaged their problem-solving skills and provided new perspective on the importance of teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and communication.
 
Team members also enjoyed the experience of riding in in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter en route to the Ranger Jungle Training facility.
 
"I think they're was enough power in the opening ceremony to change this football team," Rolovich said. "And the helicopter ride itself was worth the price of admission. These guys thought we were going to bring them up here to beat them up physically. But we wanted to evolve them mentally, to increase that invisible bond of brotherhood, and to show respect where being a warrior is at its highest level – in the military. I think our guys gained a lot of different emotions, values and lessons."
 
While the event served as a means for the football team to prepare for the 2016 football campaign it also further strengthened the relationship between the Armed Forces, the University of Hawai'i and UH Athletics.
 
"Through this process our team developed more respect for the military and what they do," Rolovich said. "Building that bond is special for any football team. We're calling this the first annual. We want to do this every year."