The Under Armour Next Camp at King Kekaulike Stadium on Saturday was a huge opportunity for about 100 Maui football players — from intermediate school to high school — as they took part in a national-level event, but for Nick Rolovich it was a very real homecoming.

Rolovich, the former University of Hawai‘i quarterback and head coach, was watching closely at the talent all over the field in his new position as senior offensive assistant at the University of California, Berkeley.

His wife Analea, formerly Analea Donovan and a 1996 Seabury Hall graduate, was in familiar Upcountry territory as Nick and son Daniel were at the camp, the final stop of 14 on the camp tour.

Daniel Rolovich, a three-star senior quarterback at San Marin High School in Novato, Calif., was named the Most Valuable Player at the high school quarterback portion of the camp that drew 569 standouts from around the nation.

“It’s a big deal for Maui,” Rolovich said. “It’s a big deal for all the local kids. It’s pretty special to me because my wife’s family is from here and my son gets to compete Upcountry where they’re from. Getting to be here and see all the great coaching they’ve done, which is really good for these local kids, the exposure.”

On-field coaches included Tyson Alualu, a 38-year-old retired nose tackle who spent 13 seasons in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions after playing for Saint Louis School in Honolulu and then college at Cal; and Iapani Laloulu, a sophomore offensive lineman at the University of Oregon.

Former NFL running back Matt Asiata, former Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49er defensive lineman Isaac Sopoaga, current Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren, and several other college standouts were also among the coaching staff.

It was all the culmination of work by Baldwin High School graduate JoJo Dickson, who played collegiately at Idaho, spent time at five different NFL camps, and played two years in the Canadian Football League. This was the fourth camp that Dickson has put on through The Underdog Foundation, his nonprofit organization that he founded three years ago.

The first three camps Dickson put on were ESPN 300 camps.

“This is something I’ve been called to do,” Dickson said. “And so all these coaches showing their support, being here, donating their time and effort and energy to make this happen and give back to these kids, it’s a real special experience for me right here.”

The day included a 40-yard dash, agility drills, one-on-one competitions between offensive and defensive linemen, and wide receivers and defensive backs with quarterbacks throwing the football, technique drills, and a recruiting seminar.

The 40-yard dash times, one-on-one competition drills and agility work were all recorded for the athletes to use for recruiting material after they left Maui. The tapes and data were available through The UC Report, a data website that provides player information to 67 of the 68 Power Four conference football teams in the NCAA.

Two MIL standouts at the camp already have Division I college offers — Lahainaluna junior David Kauvaka and Kamehameha Maui senior Pa‘u Spencer. Both offensive linemen, Kauvaka has an offer from Idaho and Spencer has an offer from UH.

“It’s great to learn from everyone who came before me, it’s great to be here, get another opportunity to show up,” said Spencer, who stands 6-foot-4, 290 pounds. “I love this kind of competition. Anything like this can lead to an offer, you never know.”

Kauvaka, who is 6-3, 270, said, “It’s amazing, it’s a great opportunity to meet all these players and see where they’re from, see how they’re going to participate today. It will be a good challenge against all those big D linemen. So it’s very exciting. I’m learning what I need to know, just watching all these drills and how they run it. Going against all the O‘ahu guys is a very eye-opening experience.”

Rolovich was grateful to be on the King Kekaulike Stadium turf in his first college coaching job since he left Washington State in 2021 after two years there as head coach. Prior to his time in Pullman, Wash., he was Hawai‘i’s head coach from 2016-19. Rolovich was hired earlier this year at Cal for his first coaching stint since leaving WSU. 

He was 28-27 as head coach in Mānoa, leading the Rainbow Warriors to three bowl games in his four seasons.

“It’s good to see this for any local kid, but seeing it on Maui is pretty cool for these kids and for me and my family,” Rolovich said.

As for his son’s MVP award, Rolovich said Sunday, “Competing Upcountry was meaningful for him.”

Alualu said he didn’t hesitate to say “yes” as soon as Dickson called to ask if he was available to work at the camp. Tyree Alualu, Tyson’s son and a linebacker at Temple University, was also helping with the camp that he attended as a camper two years ago.

”It’s a blessing and to have it done this way with JoJo in charge and running the show, it’s a great opportunity for all the kids,” Tyson Alualu said. “Like we hear growing up on O‘ahu, everybody had to come to O‘ahu to try and get more exposure, but to open opportunities here in Maui is pretty cool. So, I’m excited just to be a part of it and help out any way I can.”

Laloulu’s mother was in the stands watching her two sons — Iapani as a counselor and Fa’anu Mao, an offensive lineman at Baldwin — take part in the camp.

“I thank the Lord for just giving me the blessing and talent and the opportunity to play this game of football and be able to learn and now be able to come back and give back to the kids of Hawai‘i,” said Laloulu, a 2023 Farrington High School graduate. “It means a lot. I was once in their shoes so I know how much it means for a person like me to impact them, come back and share the knowledge, just talk with them. These guys are going to be the future generation of Hawai‘i football.”

King Kekaulike had 25 players at the camp, while Kamehameha Maui had 14. The first year Dickson did the camp, there were 300 campers, the second year 350 and last year 450. This year, the camp was capped at 600, but 31 could not make it. There were 1,200 fans in the stands as well.

“It’s a great opportunity for our kids, what JoJo has done,” King Kekaulike head coach Tyson Valle said. “I think it’s really coming together. Every year the camps keep growing, so to see all these people here, too, it’s fantastic.”

UNDER ARMOUR NEXT CAMP

At King Kekaulike Stadium

Award winners, July 5

—High School Offensive Line MVP Koloi Keli (class of 2026)

—High School Defensive Line MVP Tame Malafu (2027)

—Middle School Offensive Line MVP Shyzen Akiona (2029)

—Middle School Offensive Line MVP Mateo Pai‘ea Cosier (2030)

—High School Running Back MVP Mikey Kapahu (2027)

—Middle School Linebacker MVP Tydes Alualu (2029)

—Middle School Running Back MVP Jeremiah King (2030)

—Under Armour Game Invite LB Samson Satele (2027)

—Under Armour Game Invite LB Talanoa Ili (2026)

—Middle School Defensive Back MVP Kanoa Kameehonua (2029)

—Middle School Wide Receiver MVP Kameeiamoku Manners (2030)

—Middle School Quarterback MVP Loea Keopuhiwa (2029)

—Middle School Wide Receiver MVP Ashton Grace (2029)

—High School Quarterback MVP Daniel Rolovich (2026)

—High School Wide Receiver MVP Luke VanAntwerp (2026)

—High School Defensive Back MVP Madden Soliai (2026)

“Monday Morning Maui Sports” columns appear weekly on Monday mornings with updates on local sports in the Maui Interscholastic League and elsewhere around Maui County. Please send column ideas — anything having to do with sports in Maui County — as well as results and photos to rob@hjinow.org.