Quotes about Pool Day and Mana Lolotai being named upback

About how each newcomer has to jump from the 10-meter high dive, Francis Maka said:
"Let me tell you, that's very high. Everyone said when you look up, it won't be high. But it was. I kept walking up those stairs. I didn't think those stairs would end." (HA)


About how he and San Mateo teammate Ray Hisatake nervously paced on the board, Maka said:
"We're both scared of heights. It was like, 'I'll jump if you jump.' We jumped together." (HA)


About being part of a 5-man jump that included LWJ, Mouton said:
"It hurt. Leon pulled me to the side." (HA)


About the dive, LWJ said:
"It was crazy. I barely learned how to swim before I got out here (last month). I don't even know how to tread." (HA)

"I trust my teammates. They knew how to save me. But when I landed, I pushed them away because I was panicking." (HA)

HA Note: "But several teammates — led by linebackers Brashton Satele and Timo Paepule and safety Spencer Smith — volunteered to serve as lifeguards. They waited in the water, holding on to kick boards."


About trying to rescue LWJ, Brashton Satele said:
"He was trying to drown me. We pulled him to the side. That's part of helping out a teammate." (HA)


LWJ added about the dive:
"We didn't do this in Nebraska." (HA)


About his feet-first dive, Jett Jaspar sid:
"I didn't want to do anything too crazy. We had a lot of high stuff to jump off on Kaua'i. I didn't want to do double-back flips and get hurt." (HA)


years ago, Ingram splashed awkwardly 12 times.
About his gainer (back-flip), Ingram said that during his first pool day 2 years ago he splashed awkwardly 12 times:
"I kept hitting my side. I was going like this or like that instead of going straight back. On the 13th time, I got it right, and I never missed it since." (HA)


About his triple flip, Josh Leonard said:
"Me and my brothers used to sneak into places like this at night and do front flips. I told all of the guys I was going to do that. They hadn't seen a rookie do that." (HA)

HA Note: "Jones said he had scheduled the pool day three months ago, but kept the plans a secret. Each year, a pool-day practice ends when a kicker fulfills a field-goal-on-demand request."


During yesterday's practice, Britton Forester whispered to Dan Kelly:
"Get ready. We're going to the pool today." (HA)


Kelly said afterwards about Ferester:
"He said he had a feeling." (HA)


About his pool day prediction, Forester said:
"I heard it through the grapevine. I've got my sources." (HA)

HA Note: "After punting drills, Jones told Kelly to line up for a field-goal attempt from 40 yards. Make the kick, and practice is over. Kelly's kick was true."


About making the FG, Kelly said:
"It's another field goal. It doesn't matter if it's the pool or not. I try to make all of my field goals. As we learned last year, one field goal can make a difference between a win and a loss." (HA)

HA Note: "Kelly's field goal triggered a wild celebration — for most. Freshman Le'Marcus Gibson and defensive tackle Chris Leatigaga were less than enthusiastic."


About how he doesn't know how to swim, Le'Marcus Gibson said:
"They told me they were going to be down in the pool to save me. I figured I might as well go and get it over with. I went up on the board, said a little prayer and hopped off. I felt I was never going to hit the water. I was thinking: 'When am I going to hit the water?' Man, I'm glad it's over." (HA)


About how he had almost been forgotten after 20 minutes of diving, Leatigaga said:
"I was hoping they'd forget about me." (HA)

HA Note: "As the acrophobic Leatigaga ascended the stairs, the players chanted: "Chris! ... Chris! ..." "


Leatigaga said:
"I'm afraid of heights." (HA)

HA Note: "The chants then turned to: "Wimp! ... Wimp! ..." "


Leatigaga said:
"I was really scared." (HA)

HA Note: "And then: "Jump! ... Jump! ..." And he did, spiraling into the pool."


Happy to have it over with, Leatigaga said:
"That was hard. The best thing is I'll never have to do that again." (HA)


About jumping into the pool, Colt said:
"It was awesome." (HA)

HA Note: "A few months ago, Brennan was the featured guest at the Legislature. During the ceremony he received a proclamation noting that Aug. 16 would be known as "Colt Brennan Day." Brennan kept the paper, although state employees still had to work yesterday."


About how everyone still had to work on his day, Colt said:
"I guess today's just another day." (HA)


About Lolotai being named upback for the punt block team, JJ said:
"We looked at all of the guys to see what they can do, and we thought he'd be a good upback." (HA)


Happy with his upback role, Lolotai said:
"It's good. Anything to get on the field." (HA)

HA Note: "Lolotai had signed a letter of intent with Oregon State in February 2006. But he did not meet the requirements to play for the Beavers. Last year, he attended Hawai'i Pacific University. He earned enough credits to play for the Warriors this season."