Former NFL running back brings youth skills clinic back to Big Island
Jamal Willis is bringing Cutback Elite Skills Clinic back to Keaau for kids ages 5 to 17, with five mornings of speed and agility work at Hawaiian Paradise Park.
A former San Francisco 49ers running back is bringing a five-day youth skills clinic back to Keaau, giving Big Island families a multi-sport training option for keiki ages 5 to 17. The Cutback Elite Skills Clinic will run at the Hawaiian Paradise Park Community Center field off Mākuu Drive from 8 a.m. to noon Friday, June 19, through Tuesday, June 23.
The clinic is built around speed, agility and multidirectional movement rather than a single sport, which makes it a fit for soccer, football, basketball and other activities that demand quick changes of direction and body control. Jamal Willis said that open-ended format helps athletes develop the kind of movement skills that carry from one sport to another.
Willis first introduced the Cutback Elite Skills Clinic to Hawaii Island last year and returned after what organizers described as an enthusiastic response from participants. The camp’s focus is on practical athletic development, with the aim of helping young players move better, react faster and gain confidence in competition.
Willis brings a playing résumé that gives the clinic added credibility with local families. Brigham Young University says he earned a football scholarship and played there from 1991 to 1994, starting at running back all four years before moving on to the NFL with the 49ers. Pro Football Reference lists his 1995 professional season as 11 games, 12 rushing attempts, 35 rushing yards and 17 kickoff returns for 427 yards.
His NFL career ended after an injury against the Carolina Panthers. Big Island Now reported that Willis tore the ACL in his right knee after 11 games and was cut the following season, ending his professional career. That arc, from scholarship athlete to pro player to coach, is part of what he now brings to the sideline in East Hawaii.
The local connection is also central to how the clinic is being staged. Willis is working with Whittney Soares-Fujii, who owns Fit by Whitt and helps coordinate keiki classes and programming in Keaau. Listings place FitByWhitt Hawaii at 16-180 Mikahala Place in Keaau, tying the event to an island-based trainer and a local network already serving families in the area.
A local organizer said, “Exposure to high-level coaches gives our athletes a chance to excel on bigger stages.” For Big Island parents weighing summer options, the clinic offers a structured week of athletic training in East Hawaii, centered on movement skills that can help across sports and age groups.
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