I could always jump, climb and tumble. My father found me jumping off the roof of our home at an early age: two steps forward, leap, hit and roll. My grade school P.E. teacher, Nate Jones (NFL Ref on weekends) challenged me to excel at the Presidents Fitness Tests in 6th grade. He showed me my score and said it was the highest in the state. He told me to look for a niche of athletics that might help me with college.

At Benson H.S. coach Dick Gray took me under his wing in his role as field coach for the track team. Freshman year I won first place (Freshman level) in the city PV, LJ and HJ competition. I lost only one match in Freshman wrestling competitions, but disliked combative competition, I'd rather shake your hand and go cooperate on something than duke it out on the mat. Good learning for me.

Coach Gray urged me to follow the Community College route to begin my advance education. He was a student counselor and pointed out that Benson's vocational skills focus had left me short on some of the academics in prep for college level work. He also had the connection that led to my scholarship to University of Hawaii as they were starting their NCAA track program. He was a great mentor to me.