WAILUKU, Hawaii — WHEN LOS ANGELES Rams receiver Puka Nacua stepped off the airplane in Maui on Monday for obligatory minicamp, he was greeted by a member of the welcoming committee with a giant hug and a “thanks a lot for every little thing you do for the Polynesian neighborhood.”
Nacua, whose Polynesian background has made him beloved in Hawaii, stated training in Maui for minicamp “seems like house.”
The Rams traveled to Maui for minicamp partially for workforce bonding and to assist a neighborhood affected by devastating wildfires almost two years in the past. The touring get together included roughly 500 folks, together with gamers, coaches, workforce workers, in addition to any members of the family who wished to return.
The journey, head coach Sean McVay stated, was about “connection,” not solely between these on the workforce but in addition between these within the Rams’ group and a Hawaiian neighborhood nonetheless recovering from the fires in Maui in 2023.
“It is about connection and with the ability to get a while,” McVay stated. “It is cool to have the ability to actually, for me, meet a variety of these guys’ households that perhaps I have never met fairly but or see their wives or girlfriends or their youngsters, and in order that’s been a very cool factor up to now.
“That is about with the ability to get some good high quality time with one another after which with the ability to use the platform that we’re blessed with to have the ability to get again to a neighborhood that went via some comparable issues that we are able to all perceive and type of empathize with, and also you see how excited they’re to see our gamers and that is enjoyable.”
THE RAMS’ RELATIONSHIP with Hawaii goes again a few years, and several other members of the local people on the workforce luau Monday evening famous they remembered the children camps a number of Rams gamers held throughout the Nineteen Seventies.
Extra not too long ago, the Rams started broadcasting preseason video games throughout the Hawaiian Islands in 2018 and performed a preseason recreation towards the Dallas Cowboys at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu in 2019. Final offseason, the Rams started to debate a partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority, with the thought of holding the workforce’s obligatory minicamp in Maui.
After the Maui wildfires in August 2023, the Rams devoted a preseason recreation to boost cash for American Crimson Cross aid efforts for these in want.
Final month, Rams workforce president Kevin Demoff stated the dedication to holding minicamp in Maui was only for this 12 months, however quarterback Matthew Stafford stated he would take pleasure in seeing it proceed.
“I’ve had a blast,” Stafford stated. “That is type of above my pay grade; these those that make these choices will determine that out, however we have had fun. I do know our workforce has loved the expertise, and it has been a variety of enjoyable.”
At Tuesday’s apply, the Rams’ offensive gamers took half in a women’ flag soccer camp on one discipline whereas the protection hosted a boys’ deal with soccer clinic on the opposite discipline. Davante Adams was a part of a bunch engaged on routes with the ladies flag soccer gamers.
“I really feel prefer it’s nearly for me as a result of I am having an excellent time and connecting with the children,” Adams stated. “… It is only a cool solution to join and present appreciation for them for permitting us to be right here. They usually’ve gone via lots not too long ago too, so it is simply good to deliver some positivity to them.”
On the identical time, the Rams’ rookie class went to Lahaina to affix Habitat for Humanity Maui because it rebuilt 4 houses in an space affected by the wildfires.
Demoff stated the Rams have seen “the passion and gracious welcome from the neighborhood.”
“So many individuals [are] excited concerning the Rams being right here,” Demoff stated. “What it means for the children who we labored with on the sector yesterday, the folks within the stands, and watching your entire neighborhood gentle up across the NFL workforce coming and spending the week with them right here in Maui and serving to them not solely rebuild however simply give them a spark of pleasure and confidence.”
WHEN ADAMS JOINED the Rams this offseason, one factor that stood out to him was the “college-type of camaraderie” that exists within the group.
Adams stated he discovered “it took somewhat extra time for me to get built-in into the Jets workforce than it did getting right here,” whereas acknowledging that he joined the Jets throughout the season and did not benefit from an offseason along with his new teammates.
The Rams hope that bond is continuous to strengthen in Maui, “whether or not it is the 30 or 40 gamers who had been within the ocean collectively yesterday, the karaoke movies I’ve seen, watching the gamers hula dance on the luau collectively on Monday evening,” Demoff stated. “Simply unbelievable workforce bonding.
“I feel that can set a basis for the season, as we come again into coaching camp and hopefully have the prospect for an extended 12 months. But it surely’s uncommon you get your entire workforce in a relaxed setting the place they will go spend an evening collectively going out with out, and so they have their households right here, however they do not have the opposite duties that come at house of every little thing else you must do. And so I feel the workforce unity, the workforce bonding, together with simply the immense assist we have had for the Maui neighborhood have left a mark on all of us.”
The Rams are particularly well-equipped to develop their relationship with Hawaii as a result of they’ve a Polynesian star in Nacua. The receiver’s reputation among the many crowd confirmed early and infrequently throughout his time in Maui.
As he ran onto the sector Wednesday at Battle Memorial Stadium, the group roared. In entrance of 1000’s, Nacua raced from one aspect of the sector to the opposite, operating alongside the far bleachers and high-fiving followers within the entrance row earlier than returning to the apply discipline.
When requested concerning the Polynesian gamers he grew up watching, Nacua listed quarterback Marcus Mariota, vast receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and Corridor of Fame security Troy Polamalu.
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When requested what it feels prefer to know that at some point the followers and highschool soccer gamers watching him within the stands in Maui may at some point be placing him in the identical dialog, Nacua stated, “It does not really feel actual.”
“I am having a blast,” Nacua stated. “And it does not really feel actual typically that persons are sporting my jersey, however I hope that they carry the issues which can be a part of our tradition: respect to have the respect and the self-discipline to signify your loved ones, but in addition these issues carry and translate straight into soccer.”
Stafford referred to as the prospect to apply in Maui “a singular alternative,” saying the workforce will hopefully encourage some younger Puka Nacuas.
“It is such a reciprocal relationship,” Demoff stated. “… Watching him on the autograph signing yesterday with traces out the door, watching his reception right here, watching him give his chain to the woman enjoying flag soccer, he is clearly the most important star we now have on the workforce for this neighborhood.
“However then I feel for the folks right here, it is a reminder that they will turn out to be the subsequent Puka Nacua and the truth that the workforce is right here, whether or not it was women’ flag soccer or the blokes’ highschool groups that they had been interacting with yesterday. I feel seeing somebody like Puka offers them hope of what they will turn out to be and a task mannequin to aspire to if you see how real he’s, the way in which he interacts with them with coronary heart and intention, it solely makes the entire story higher.”
