Lewis & Clark’s football team welcomed a new player, O’A Kamakawiwoole ’28, to the team this fall, who has quickly risen to the team’s leader board and earned a starting position on the field.
Kamakawiwoole was recruited from the highly respected Saint Louis School in Honolulu, where he gained a reputation as a very talented quarterback. After attending a football camp at LC the summer before entering his junior year of high school, Coach Daniel Fields offered him a position with the Pioneers. Kamakawiwoole joins two other quarterbacks this season, Trey Morris ’25 and JT Willis ’25. For Kamakawiwoole, Morris and Willis have become a support system.
“They’ve been really supportive, just taking me under them and teaching me some things that they’ve learned and taking me in as a younger brother,” said Kamakawiwoole.
Over the last few games, Kamakawiwoole has stood out in helping the team succeed. The team’s performance against Montana Western, a highly-ranked National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school, specifically put Kamakawiwoole’s performance in the spotlight.
NAIA schools operate outside of the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA) division system as NAIA and NCAA are different governing bodies for collegiate athletics. NAIA teams range in competitiveness, with some schools competing at the equivalent of an NCAA Division 3 level and others competing closer to a Division 1 level.
In the game against Montana Western, he gained his first collegiate start, throwing 425 yards, and becoming the passing leader of the game. LC was able to keep the game tied throughout the first quarter against the high-ranking team, with Kamakawiwoole making 5 touchdown-winning passes.
“He is incredibly talented. Physically, he has a super strong arm and he’s very accurate, mobile, and smart. But what I have been particularly impressed with is his mental side of the game, how fast he has picked up our offense, and also how mature and composed he is under pressure,” said Head Coach Joe Bushman.
“I’m just doing my job,” said Kamakawiwoole.
Kamakawiwoole expressed his desire to continue playing for the team his full time here at LC.
“It’s been my dream to play college ball,” he said.
Bushman explained that he believes Kamakawiwoole has the potential to lead LC to a championship with the support of the rest of the team. It is no question that the team has garnered a close, supportive community, and has been a big support system for Kamakawiwoole as he starts his collegiate career.
“The team definitely brings leadership to me, because I’m young still, and all the older guys lead me to be a better leader,” said Kamakawiwoole.
If you are interested in watching more of Kamakawiwoole and the Pioneers play, come watch their next home game against Pacific University on Oct. 19 at 1:00 p.m. for Homecoming Weekend!
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