An invitation to his first fall camp represented quite a reward for Kawika Borden.
But the payoff for his perseverance hasn’t stopped with simply a place on the University of Hawaii roster.
After slipping back a few times in his college football climb, Borden appears to have finally found secure footing with the Rainbow Warriors. In his third attempt to walk on, his performances in spring practice and the early stages of fall camp have earned him a scholarship as well.
"It was a shock," Borden said of the announcement Wednesday night. "This was my third time walking on and I knew I only had two years left and just wanted to come out and see if I could play, get on the field, get some playing time.
"Three years I’ve been paying for school, so it’s a huge burden taken off my shoulders."
Despite being out of the game a year ago at this time, the Pearl City graduate has seen extensive practice time at safety in camp, working his way into a rotation stocked with returnees with starting experience. The junior is also expected to contribute on special teams and is a contender to take over at long snapper.
"He’s brought maturity," UH defensive backs coach Daronte’ Jones said. "He laughs and has fun, but he’s all about his business, which is great.
"Every phase he’s a part of, he’s catching that coach’s eye and that’s all we can ask for. He’s a hard worker and had a great summer."
Borden played quarterback at Pearl City in 2006 and ’07, then spent a year working before enrolling at UH.
"If I could save up, then I’d save up," Borden said, "but other than that, once I got into school I had to put in for whatever financial aid I could get."
His first attempt to walk on in 2010 was derailed by a painful hip injury that kept him from training for nearly a year. He tried out again the next fall, joined the team after camp and was immediately assigned to the scout team. By midseason, he was part of all of the Warriors’ special teams units and posted five tackles in seven appearances.
"Mentally it’s kind of hard to start at the bottom, but it helps the drive," Borden said. "When you have to start at the bottom nobody really knows you, so you have to come in and try to prove yourself."
He was out of football again last year due to what he termed "personal reasons" but caught on quickly in the spring with the help of returning senior starters John Hardy-Tuliau and Charles Clay and sophomore Marrell Jackson.
"I knew I had to try to step it up (in the spring)," Borden said. "I’ve only got two years left, I’ve got a little bit of time to try to learn the plays. … Even though I’m the same age as them I’m considered a younger guy, so they’re helping out the younger guys."
Jones said Borden, listed at 6 feet and 200 pounds, has distinguished himself as "one of the most physical guys we have."
"That’s what you want for a safety, to come downhill and strike somebody. So he definitely gets that accomplished," Jones said.
Borden has also impressed observers with his progress as a long-snapper, a skill he dabbled with in high school. He’s among the candidates to step in for Luke Ingram, a four-year starter now pursuing a roster spot with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jake Ingram, who preceded Luke as UH’s long-snapper, sees potential for Borden to thrive at the position as well.
"He’s got great velocity, he’s got a tight spiral, he’s accurate," said Ingram, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2009. "He’s an athlete, he’ll be able to run down and cover kicks.
"And he’s from Central Oahu," the Mililani graduate added. "The Central Oahu guys have had a pretty good track record snapping at UH."
