The recent Boys High School All-American camp included a list of prominent coaches from around the USA and a few up-and-comers who had some useful words for the kids.

Salty Thompson headed up a group that included former Eagles Tim Kluempers (St. Thomas Aquinas [KS]) and Scott Bracken (Claremont Colleges) as well as Jason Divine and Brent Bueno (Granite Bay), Darrel Knowlton (Bethel College), Sean Duffy (Arizona), Sean O’Leary, and Liam Harnett. 

Also helping out were some young players who have been through the program. Thompson’s son, capped Eagle Brett Thompson, has been coaching with San Diego State’s sevens team while rehabbing from injury and spent time with the players talking about college life and playing with the sevens and 15s national teams. Eagles wing Ryan Matyas also shared his experiences.

And perhaps most notable was a recent standout, Nafi Maafu, whose younger brother, Tomalati, was at the camp. Nafi emerged two years ago as an athletic lock/flanker with superb open-field skills. A bit of a free spirit, he has blossomed while on contract with Perpignan in the French Pro D2.

Nafi is living with the family of a retired player, and gave the Boys HSAA campers some insightful comments on life as a professional.

“He talked to the kids about staying humble,” Thompson said. “The guys talked a lot about overcoming difficulties and adversity. But I think Nafi really did a good job of talking about when you go back to your clubs and your school teams you don’t strut around like you’ve figured it out. Stay humble and keep working hard.”

For Maafu, that’s been an important lesson, and he has matured as a player and a person, as you’d expect, while at Perpignan.