Jon Medeiros is practicing despite his injuries to try to remain the #1 left slotback

HA Note: "Hawai'i football player Jon Medeiros is suffering from injuries to his hip flexor and patellar tendon."

HA Note: "Every day, he gets up at 4 a.m. and arrives, by bus from Kapolei, at UH by 6:15. His weekdays are filled with workouts, practices, meetings, video sessions and classes. What's more, he works in the university's maintenance department, helping to take care of the Lower Campus."

Medeiros said that the maintenance department is:
"pretty lenient with my hours. They understand I have football and school, and I'm catching the bus from home. I try to do what I can do." (HA)

About how he's listed as their #1 left slotback but is being challenged by Greg Salas and Ryan Henry, Medeiros said:
"They're right on my tail." (HA)

About how he has to ignore his injuries to keep his spot on the depth chart, Medeiros said:
"I suck it up and play hard. My spot out there is on the line. I have to continue to work hard." (HA)

Praising Medeiros, Ron Lee said:
"He's in great shape, and he understands what we're doing. He has to keep working and getting better." (HA)

HA Note: "Medeiros, who is 5 feet 9, said he has lost 10 pounds since the end of the 2008 season, and now weighs 188. During the offseason, the players have the option of participating in morning or afternoon workouts. He X'd both boxes. Medeiros said he uses student loans to pay for his tuition. His campus job pays for his meals and school expenses."

About the training-table breakfast UH provides for scholarship football players, which includes eggs, meats, cereal, oatmeal and fruits, Medeiros said:
"I walk past and smell the food ... it smells so good. I don't have that kind of money to pay for that." (HA)

HA Note: "Instead, he often skips breakfast. He usually brings a home lunch."

About how he hopes to earn a scholarship, Medeiros said:
"To this day, I don't know how I'm going to pay for next year. I'm trying to work as much as I can during the spring." (HA)

Medeiros said thata even is he doesn't receive a scholarship:
"I'm going to keep working hard. I'm not a quitter. At times, I had thoughts like, 'How am I going to pay for school?' I don't know how I'm going to make it through. I always find some way." (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090414/SPORTS0201/904140352/1312&template=UHSports