Former 49ers running back returns to Big Island to host athletic clinic for youth at all skill levels
Former football player Jamal Willis said his Cutback Elite Skills Clinic "works for all sports because it's all about speed, agility and multidirectional movement."
7 hours ago
Last year, former San Francisco 49ers running back Jamal Willis introduced to the Big Island the Cutback Elite Skills Clinic for boys and girls ages 5 to 17.
After receiving an enthusiastic response from the young participants, Willis is returning to the island to do it again.
“The kids really resonated with the clinic because it is more open-ended with changing movements that are fun for them to complete,” Willis said. “This clinic works for all sports because it’s all about speed, agility and multidirectional movement. It’s not specific to one sport or another.”
The clinic is designed to help athletes hone the art of speed cuts, a technique used to change direction swiftly while maintaining or accelerating their speed. The drills focus on footwork, quickness, jukes, ball skills, level runs, and speed and agility that is applicable to all sports.
Willis attended Brigham Young University on a football scholarship as a running back. He played for the 49ers in their backfield and as a kickoff returner before his season was cut short after 11 games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. It turned out be the end of his career after he was cut the next season.
On the Big Island, strength and conditioning trainer Whittney Soares-Fujii collaborated with Willis to create this camp specifically for locals kids. She will join him again for the second year.
“In creating this camp with Jamal, our goal was to make this experience a stepping stone for more future projects and exposure for Big Island’s rural communities,” Soares-Fujii said. “Exposure to high-level coaches gives our athletes a chance to excel on bigger stages.”
Soares-Fujii owns the gym Fit by Whitt, where she offers discounted keiki classes and programs throughout the year.
The Cutback Elite Skills Clinic will take place at the Hawaiian Paradise Park Community Center field off Mākuʻu Drive in Keaʻau from 8 a.m. to noon, Friday, June 19, through Tuesday, June 23.
The cost of the clinic varies based on participation length: $150 for one day, $200 for two days, $225 for three days, and $250 for four days. For more information and to sign up, email Willis at jamal_willis@byu.edu. Visit Willis’ Instagram page. to view videos of the drills.
After the clinic, Soares-Fujii will host two additional classes, Weightlifting 101 and Speed and Agility, each lasting two days for youth ages 8 to 13.
“This can be an extension to the camp or another option for youth to enhance their skills and develop new skills,” Soares-Fujii said. “Another part of this camp is helping youth develop a healthy relationship with movement and exercise. We want kids to feel comfortable moving their bodies without overworking themselves.”
Weightlifting 101 is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 24, focusing on lifting form and weight room usage. Speed and Agility is set for Thursday, June 25, and Friday, June 26, concentrating on footwork, sprint form, directional speed training, and explosive exercises.
Weightlifting 101 costs $50 for both days, and Speed and Agility is $45 for both days. All classes will start at 11:30 a.m. at Fit by Whitt, 16-212 Melekahiwa Place in Keaʻau. For more information, visit the Fit by Whitt Instagram page or register online.
