A Movement Lab program
Knucklehead Academy
Develop the player. Honor the person.
Knucklehead Academy is a youth rugby and athletic-development program serving young athletes across Koʻolauloa and the North Shore. It gives local players access to skills development, coaching, and growth — while strengthening, not replacing, the clubs they already play for. Young people come first here: the goal is to develop capable athletes and good people. The Academy has already begun with inclusive flag/tag rugby, with more programming growing from there.
The Name
Knucklehead Academy is named for "My Knuckleheads" — Branch Nautu's twin sons and the Academy's founding coaches, athletes who started a rugby club at their own school, ran clinics across several states, and competed nationally. The name carries what the Academy stands for: family, toughness, humor, humility, hard work, resilience, and belonging.
What's Happening — and Where It's Headed
Programming is underway with inclusive, low-contact flag/tag rugby — coed and open to a wide age range — a welcoming entry point for new and experienced players alike. As the Academy grows, it’s building toward skills clinics, position-specific coaching, rugby IQ, leadership and character development, and college and recruiting education. Looking further ahead, a separate competitive pathway — Team Pride — is a future goal, envisioned to give selected athletes opportunities to represent and compete beyond the islands. (Knucklehead Academy and Team Pride are distinct: the Academy develops players; Team Pride is the future competitive pathway.)
Development Without Displacement
Knucklehead Academy is not a club and does not pull athletes away from their teams. It's a resource that makes players better for whatever club they return to — an asset to the whole local rugby community, not a competitor within it.
Reducing the Cost Barrier
Knucklehead Academy works to reduce financial barriers so more young athletes can participate. CH³’s goal is to reduce financial barriers — for clinics, coaching, equipment, and, in time, travel — through grants, sponsorships, donations, contracts, and partnerships. (CH³ does not guarantee that all competition or travel expenses will be covered.)
Be Part of Knucklehead Academy
Whether you're a family with a young athlete, a coach, club, school, referee, sponsor, or funder who wants to help build this pathway, reach out and let's connect.
Help Young Athletes Build Confidence, Character and Opportunity
Talent is everywhere, but access to coaching, development, and opportunity is not. Your support helps CH³ create accessible training environments where young athletes can develop their skills, leadership, resilience, and sense of belonging.
Online donations support CH³’s general charitable work, not a restricted program fund, and are used where they are needed most across our mission and communities.