Former NFLer, Jesse Sapolu's, Lineman Academy

  For some high school football players, practices are enough for them to progress and advance in their skills of the game, others choose to push their limits and take the extra time to advance themselves. Men In The Trenches Lineman Academy (MITT) is a 2 hour, 14 week long camp that costs $25 and specializes in training high school linemen that want to excel and to reach the next level of success as a linemen. When asking former NFLer, Jesse Sapolu, why he decided to start a lineman camp, Sapolu expressed that, “Lineman have technique that needs working on and they’re usually taught during training camp and high school.” Sapolu felt that an extra 14 weeks would help change their game and help increase their skill.
     Men In The Trenches Lineman Academy was introduced in 2013 and is instructed by Jesse Sapolu. Sapolu was born in Samoa, yet grew up in Honolulu, HI. He actually started out playing football as a quarterback on his high schoolfootball team in Honolulu and moved his way up from there. He played both center and offensive guard on the San Francisco 49ers team. Sapolu is also a 4-time Superbowl Champion, he won all 4 Superbowls on the 49ers in the years 1984, 1988, 1989, and 1994. Not only is he a 4-time Superbowl Champion but he also earned Pro Bowl honors in 1993 and 1994. Sapolu retired from the NFL in 1997.
     In the next year the camp will actually be expanding its territory and moving to different states as more states are asking for the camp. The Men In The Trenches camp is also improved by the many coaches that help train their incoming football players. When asked about the process in choosing coaches to help coach the linemen, Sapolu said, “I just throw my coaches gas money, they're pretty much here because they want to make a difference in the kids' lives. When we see the kids get a college education it's worth it for us.” The coaches that are present at the camp practices are established a certain teaching and are split up in different stations, especially the defense coaches. Sapolu walks around and hopes to observe and coach in all of the stations, but he is mostly working with the younger group who he says is the “foundation of the camp”.
     MITT will soon be traveling to Detroit and New England, and where Sapolu will bring qualified trustworthy coaches to travel with him to the different states to help coach and instruct their next set of linemen. MITT will also be changing their program from a 14 week program to a 10 week program Sapolu says, “I think 10 weeks is good quality work for the kids here.”
     See the link below for any further questions or if you are interested in registering to attend the Men In The Trenches Lineman Academy.

Reporter: Nessa Osso