Heart of a Warrior Part 2

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjvPk-lqbG0

Brian Kajiyama was born with cerebral palsy, which stripped him of his ability to speak and confined him to a wheelchair. However, his affliction has never been an impediment for the Hawaii native. Instead, it has propelled him to break as many barriers as possible. As a boy, he dreamed of playing football for the University of Hawaii Warriors. And while he knew this would never happen, Brian did become the team's biggest fan. By the time he was a student at the university, he was not only at every home game but every practice, rain or shine, sitting in his wheelchair on the sidelines. Everything changed for Kajiyama in the summer of 2005 when a new coach for the Hawaii defense, Jeff Reinebold, noticed Brian watching practice and introduced himself. Reinebold and Brian developed a deep friendship and soon Brian was helping the Warriors prepare scouting reports on their opponents. In 2007, Kajiyama was named a graduate assistant football coach for the team by then-head coach June Jones and helped the Warriors go on to become the only undefeated team in Division I in the 2007 regular season. When June Jones and Jeff Reinebold accepted coaching positions at SMU in Dallas, Brian, now a doctorate student, thought he would continue as the teams graduate assistant. All of that changed this fall when he was removed. Includes interviews with Brian's Mother Grace Kajiyama, Coach Jeff Reinebold, Coach June Jones, Quarterback Colt Brennan, Long Snapper Jake Ingram, and Coach Greg McMackin.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Brian
• Kajiyama
• Hawaii
• Warriors
• UH
• Manoa
• WAC
• Honolulu
• Oahu
• surf
• Aloha
• stadium
• university
• college
• football
• coach
• NCAA
• 2008

[Bkeeler23]

Jeff is a fantastic person!! Brian has a huge inspirational story. Very proud to know him now

[jiff002]

jeff reinbold is a class act... very glad we have him at SMU

[jsking56]

This made me Teary eyed! What an Amazing story! I Love the University of HAWAI'I

[freshandround]

jeff reinbold is a great, crazy and funny guy, met him some years ago.

mcmackin should go and suck balls in hell...

[acermcracer]

Kajiyama, you are my hero! I have very similar cp myself! Never ever give up!

[Rajalord27]

if i met him i'd spit in his face!!!!!!

[Rajalord27]

No i'm judging a man on the only thing he can be judged on, his "actions" and his "actions" show him to be an asshole

[uhfan24]

if you met Jeff you would think very differently

[uhfan24]

you are because you are judging someone you obviously dont know!

[Rajalord27]

The players think brian's a coach

The fans say brian's a coach

I say mcmackin is a ignorant asshole!!