Sicaly Sorrell is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover McClintock High School for AZPreps365.com

From a young age, Bodhisattva “Bodhi” Kaanga never met a challenge he didn’t like. Whether he was training with his father, Bryan Kaanga, in the early mornings for football or learning to hunt pigs on his own, Bodhi was determined to succeed at it all. But moving 3,000 miles away from home at age 16 was something he wasn’t prepared for.

Bodhi was out of his element, leaving the island of Oahu, Hawaii,  last September to play high school football in Tempe for more playing opportunities at McClintock High School.

“It was tough when he left,” Bryan said. “We cried so much. He’s like my right-hand man.”

The community he knew was gone, and so was the roaring crowd that packed Kahuku High School’s football stadium, one of the top football programs in Hawaii, where he played.

“The Kahuku community backs up football so much, it’s probably the biggest in the state,” Bryan said. “We went to out-of-state games, and we probably filled up the stands more than the home team. The support is like college football games.”

Although he missed home, Bodhi knew moving to Arizona was a sacrifice he had to make to continue pursuing his dreams of playing Division I football and eventually reaching the NFL.

Bodhisattva Kaanga smiling after a game. (Photo courtesy of Bryan Kaanga)

“It’s kinda different for me being here in Arizona,” Bodhi said. “It’s more businesslike to get more exposure for football.”

Not entirely alone, Bodhi maintained some Hawaiian roots by moving in with his aunt Lisa in Phoenix, who works on McClintock’s football Instagram page. But reconnecting with his former teammate, Kaiden Agbunag, was the main factor that made Bodhi feel somewhat comfortable relocating to Arizona.

“I ended up wanting to play with my quarterback, Kaiden, who I played youth football with back home,” Bodhi said.

With both Bodhi and Agbunag being from Oahu, Bodhi was able to lean on Agbunag like a brother, even though he was miles apart from his family.

Still, Bodhi struggled to adjust to his new environment, with the cultural differences proving a significant challenge.

“There were days when I felt as if I wanted to go back home right away,” Bodhi said. “I wanted to tell my mom that I quit and it’s not for me, but they’ve put up a lot of sacrifices, time and money. So if they can make those sacrifices, I should be able to.”

While the McClintock football team had Agbunag and a couple of other Hawaiian players, Bodhi still felt isolated.

“They call it aloha spirit back home,” Bodhi said. “I didn’t really see it up here. Back home, everyone goes out of their way to make you feel comfortable, and that’s kind of what I expected.”

It was another reminder that he wasn’t in Hawaii anymore.

Instead, he had to earn social interactions and respect from his other teammates. And through his work ethic in practice, he did just that.

“The first day I walked in, they kind of looked at me like, ‘Who is this guy?’” Bodhi said. “I just did what I do, playing rugged football with a chip on my shoulder. I think from that day on, everybody was cooler and opened up more.”

But it wasn’t just Bodhi’s work ethic that helped him connect with the team. McClintock offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Andrew Manley said the team culture holds values similar to Bodhi’s.

“I think what he noticed about the culture here is that it’s similar to Hawaii because it’s family-oriented,” Manley said. “So that’s helped out a lot.”

Gradually, Bodhi began to open up to his new football family, growing trust in his teammates and a deep passion for the game.

“When he first got here, he was even quieter than he is now,” Manley said. “It was all business for him, and of course it’s still business for him, but now he’s starting to enjoy it more.”

Despite McClintock being a predominantly run-heavy team, Bodhi did not take long to become an important offensive player for the Chargers’ offense. As a wide receiver, he logged 32 receptions, 508 receiving yards and four  touchdowns while averaging 63 receiving yards a game.   

But Bodhi’s intensity isn’t just seen on the offensive end. As a safety, he is known for making big hits and energizing the team with his effort.

“He plays at 120 miles per hour every single play, and every play could be a touchdown on offense and on defense,” Manley said. “His football IQ is through the roof, so it just makes him a really good player.”

Although Bodhi formed a family with the McClintock Chargers, the island life still called to him in a way that Phoenix never could.

“I’m not saying Hawaii is all sunshine and rainbows like that, but it’s a very special place to me,” Bodhi said. “That’s where I came from, where I grew up. Everything I learned was always among the islands like that.”

Bryan said Bodhi has talked about returning home and playing at Kahuku High School for his final two years of football.

“I’m happy with whatever he decides because if he’s happy, he’ll play well and he’ll do well,” Bryan said. “So I just leave the decision up to him, whenever he decides.”

McClintock head football coach Nick Offenberger said the goal was to keep Bodhi focused on the vision of eventually playing college football to help him during his transition from Hawaii.

But Bodhi’s future with McClintock now seems uncertain.

“I’m sure he’s missing everything back home and just the day-to-day stuff,” Offenberger said. “The kid loves hunting and going out to the ocean, stuff we don’t have the ability to provide for him. But I just want Bodhi to know that I care about him.”