Blane Gaison

Blane Keith Gaison (born May 13, 1958 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is a former professional American football player. He played four seasons in the National Football League, with the Atlanta Falcons (1981–1984). As a defensiveback he was primarily a cornerback.

Early years

Gaison was raised in Kaneohe, Hawaii on the windward side of Oahu. He attended the Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii and is a 1976 graduate. At Kamehameha, he was an All-State quarterback leading the Warrior football team to consecutive state titles in 1974^[1] and 1975 also known as the Oahu Prep Bowl and Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship games.

University of Hawaii

Blane Gaison played college football at UH from 1976 to 1980, starting at defensive back. He was included on the University of Hawaii Centurion's list with the description, "Steering the defense from his safety position, Gaison was a coach on the field. Number 11's intelligence and versatility provided Rainbow Warriors fans with some of their greatest memories.^[2] He received All America, All Western Athletic Conference and Academic All Western Athletic Conference honors in 1980.^[3] Gaison was also recognized with Most Valuable Player honors at the 1980 Hula Bowl along with Kenny Easley.

NFL career

In the 1981 NFL Draft, Gaison was picked by the Atlanta Falcons. He became close friends with teammates Steve Bartkowski, Bob Glazebrook and June Jones.^[4]

Career in education

Gaison's Bachelor's degree is in Pre-Law with a minor in Secondary Education. He served as the Associate Director of Athletics at the Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus and then as Executive Director of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (ILH). He is a recipient of the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) Citation Award for his contribution and services to high school athletic on the state, local and national levels.^{[5] [6]}

Family

Blane Gaison is married to Donnalei and has four children: Pilialoha, Kapulani, Iokepa and Kona.^[7][8]

References