Sol Koehler: The Complete Player

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Castle High School football standout
and top recruit Solomon Koehler.
Photo by Leah Ball,
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For all his natural athletic ability, Solomon Koehler knows the holistic approach will carry him through.

His father, Rick Koehler, made sure he understood as much at an early age. “We try to work on him being a complete person,” Rick Koehler said of his son, a Castle standout and one of the most recruited prep players in the state. “Everything has to be connected - his relationship to God, his relationship to family, to the community, to football. That’s been our focus the last couple of years.

“When he was in sixth or seventh grade, he came to me and said, ‘I have a dream. Now how do I get there?’ “

“Every time I step on the field, I know I’m representing my family, my teammates, my community,” added Solomon.” I have to do my best.”

A career in the NFL may very well be in the future for Koehler, whose work ethic has always been as solid as his imposing 6-foot-2,305-pound frame. For the present, however, he’s dedicated himself to being a solid citizen, as well as sticking with the weight room and conditioning.

Castle competes in passing leagues this summer, with fall camp set for early August.

The Knights had a 3-5 season that ended with a heartbreaking first-round playoff loss to Aiea last fall. In 2004 and 2005, they won 11 of 12 OIA Red East games, so the 2006 campaign provided added motivation for weight training that began in January.

“We’ve been trying to really push the underclassmen so we can have a much better year,” Koehler said. “You have to pay your dues. If you work hard in the off-season, it will pay off during the season.”

His own efforts appear to have him right on track, personally. Rivals.Com rates him 46th nationally among college prospects, while Scout.Com has him third overall for defensive line.

Scout.Com’s Northwest recruiting analyst Chris Fetters calls him “arguably the most dominant defensive lineman (in Hawaii) since Tennessee picked up Kahuku’s J.T. Mapu (in 2002).”

It’s no small wonder that Koehler has attracted so much attention from recruiters. He bench presses 405 pounds, squats 550, and has been clocked at 4.7 in the 40-yard dash. Off the field, he does community service and is active in the Mormon Church.

To prepare for the next level, he has help from Pacific Islands Athletics Alliance’s Doris Sullivan and he attended Damien coach Brian Derby’s Offensive Line Camp.

But Koehler has focused on the Knights’ upcoming season. He was a starter on the O-line last season, but will be playing both sides of the ball - nose guard and defensive tackle, the position college recruiters are pursuing him for.

As a player who welcomes contact, Koehler is naturally drawn to nose guard. He called his “aggressiveness” his strength.

“It’s always a fight - you’re battling two or three guys at a time. It’s a good fight for me every play. Off of the field, I’m quiet and relaxed. On the field, I’m more vocal and more nasty.”