Double duty is nothing new for Tommy Heffernan. The Hawaii strength and conditioning coach played football and baseball at UH.

Two decades later, Heffernan again finds little time for breaks and, now, apologizes to wife Kealoha for missing dinners at home with children Hilina'i and Ho'omana. He was recently put in charge of UH football in addition to other sports and overall responsibility, and football's offseason conditioning program started last week. Also, he hosts the first Hawaii Strength and Conditioning Clinic for Coaches tomorrow (call 956-7882 for information).

Around 150 participants had signed up for the clinic as of yesterday morning, said Heffernan, between football workouts and airport runs to pick up guest lecturers from the mainland. The participants are strength coaches, trainers, kinesiology students and physical therapists.

“;We have a wide pool,”; said Heffernan, himself one course away from a master's in kinesiology. “;It's an opportunity for continuing education for all of these professionals. We didn't have that before. The closest you could get something like this before was California.”;

Sponsors make the event affordable, he said, and the lecturers aren't getting paid — revenue goes to a foundation for upgrading the UH training facilities.

As for getting the Warriors into shape, Heffernan said he had to get all of the players serious about it.

“;The No. 1 thing is discipline. Don't miss workouts, show up ready to go,”; he said. “;It's gotten better. We had to pound some guys early.”;

Grass drill punishments sometimes include everyone for the mistakes of a few.

“;As part of a team, you have to learn that one's actions affect all,”; he said.

YEAH, HE'S a tough guy, and in good enough shape to command respect. But Heffernan has his fun side, too. If you were asked to name two sports he's most associated with, not everyone would answer football and baseball. How about slow-pitch softball and kickball?

If you were at a park league softball game in the 1990s and the third baseman was playing on the line in medium-deep left field, Tommy Heffernan was probably up. Anyone assigned to the hot corner who valued his teeth promptly vacated when “;Tommy Heff”; came to the plate.

Heffernan laughed. He doesn't play much softball anymore, and when he does, doesn't instill as much fear.

“;No. They're not scared anymore,”; he said. “;I had my time and enjoyed it.”;

So, you ask, how does kickball figure into the life of a 40-year-old college strength coach who is too busy to play softball regularly?

It goes back to small-kid time, and Heffernan's North Shore roots. Whenever his ohana got together en masse while he was growing up, they played kickball.

Heffernan held a kickball tournament, including former UH athletes last May, as a benefit event for the weight room. Players on 16 teams flashed back to elementary school and those big red balls.

“;Everybody had a lot of fun, running around barefoot, slippers on your hands,”; Heffernan said. “;And you don't have to be a great athlete.”;

Kickball? I'm in. Sounds like a blast, and I see this becoming a great annual event, like the bed races used to be.

But if Tommy kicks anything like he hit, I want no part of third base.

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Reach Star-Bulletin sports columnist Dave Reardon at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), his “;Quick Reads”; blog at starbulletin.com, and twitter.com/davereardon.