Honor & Remember. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/2Zah9EdR71
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) August 25, 2022
HONOLULU — Tuesday in Hawai’i, the Vanderbilt football program’s second day on the island of O’ahu, included a special trip for some members of the team.
Commodores who play defense, along with head coach Clark Lea and some support staff members, took an afternoon excursion to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
“It was awesome, it was amazing. It was a really good experience to learn a little bit more about everyone’s history – America’s history, my history, your history,” Vanderbilt senior safety Maxwell Worship said. “Playing this game of football, it takes you places. I’m very blessed, grateful, honored to experience things like this, to be in Hawai’i and also to be immersed within the history of what we’ve done throughout our time. Just being at Pearl Harbor is very humbling experience.”
Vanderbilt senior Maxwell Worship on today’s experience at Pearl Harbor pic.twitter.com/nGAry1Ww6n
— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) August 24, 2022
Tuesday’s Pearl Harbor visit was the second straight day in which the team participated in an off-site, off-field activity. On Wednesday, members of the team’s offense along with special teams specialists will visit the Pearl Harbor site as well.
The visit to the memorial includes a free walk around the grounds, a boat ride out to the memorial site of the USS Arizona and a historical film to explain the events of Dec, 7, 1941.
Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s visit to Pearl Harbor coupled with Monday’s trip to Papahana Kuaola has strengthened the bond within the Vandy locker room, Worship said.
“We’ve definitely had a whole bunch of bonding moments, I’ve definitely gotten closer to teammates that I wasn’t necessarily close with going into camp,” he added. “I’m just really grateful to be here right now and this experience? I’m just truly honored, humbled and grateful to be in it right now and also to just be with my teammates and get closer.
“I think that everything we’ve been doing so far this week, we’ve just continued to bond and build that bond. I can’t wait for when we go into Saturday against Hawai’i. Everything that we’ve done moving forward has just made us closer.”
Vandy’s Tuesday started with another morning practice, this one starting with a steady downpour. The Commodores arrived at a local high school a little after 9 a.m. local time and worked out for 2 1/2 hours before returning to the team hotel.
Vanderbilt players were in full pads as they continued to hone in on the game plan for the Rainbow Warriors.
“Second day, it was a little bit chippy,” Vandy center Julian Hernandez said. “Tuesday, a harder day, got full pads on, everyone’s getting after it, everyone’s getting better, iron sharpening iron and just getting after a hard day getting ready for this Saturday.
“The competition really starts with ourselves. Our game plan is to really control the controllables, do our operation, worry about ourselves mainly. We know that they have a whole new team practically coming in so we’re going to be scouting them to the best of their ability, but right now I believe the focus is mainly on ourselves.”
The Commodores are scheduled to practice again Wednesday morning ahead of the second trip to Pearl Harbor for the remainder of the team. Vanderbilt opens the season at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Hawai’i.
— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt Athletics for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.
