Kahuku High football team members show the professional NFL players
how to do a haka at the Kemoeatu Brothers first annual football skills clinic.

Former Kahuku High and now professional football players Chris and Ma'ake Kemoeatu — who play for the Pittsburg Steelers and the Carolina Panthers, respectively — brought about 30 of their fellow National Football League teammates and NFL friends home with them on February 18, 2010, to put on the First Annual Kemoeatu Brothers Football Camp at Kahuku High, as well as several other associated events on Oahu.

To help kick off the skills clinic for kids in grades 3-to-12, the NFL players asked the Kahuku High football team members to show them how a real haka is done. Earlier, the Kemoeatu brothers and others held a private training session with the team.

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"Basically, we're just giving back to the community, trying to motivate the kids in a positive way, and having fun," said Chris Kemoeatu [pictured at right greeting other NFL players at the clinic], the Hawaii All-State Defensive Player of the Year when he graduated from Kahuku in 2001. He went on to play for the University of Utah on a football scholarship and has been starting left guard for the Steelers since 2008.

"It's not about us: It's for the kids, and it's family oriented," he added. "It's a great turnout. Watching these kids perform and practice, I feel like it was just yesterday I was doing the same thing. It brings back a lot of memories, a lot of tradition. We're glad to be back home."

Chris noted that his parents — Rev. Manako and Ahea Kemoeatu — still live on Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku, and brother Benji Kemoeatu is playing football for West Virginia. "Everybody's graduated from Kahuku High, except my little sister, Ana [Kemoeatu] who is still a Kahuku Elementary School student." His older brothers, Ma'ake and Tevita Kemoeatu, also played football for the University of Utah after graduating from Kahuku. Their father, a Methodist minister, was in Tonga during the clinic for a family funeral.

Chris and Ma'ake started the Kemoeatu Brothers Foundation to encourage youth to "never give up on their dreams," and to promote the benefits of learning life skills and values through participating in team sports — especially football and rugby. For example, the nonprofit foundation held its first annual rugby tournament the week of July 13, 2009, at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. They will hold another football clinic at Radford High School on Saturday, February 20.

— Photos and video by Mike Foley