Nipissing lacrosse player to continue academic and athletic careers at Californian university

By Sam Laskaris

MERRITT, B.C. – Though he’s finishing up his high school studies now, Clinton Kaboni will be continuing his schooling in California.

Kaboni, a member of Nipissing First Nation, will be attending Humboldt State University starting with the 2020-21 academic year. He will also play for the Humboldt men’s lacrosse squad.

Humboldt State is located in the Californian city of Arcata.

Kaboni has been attending Sierra Canyon School, a private school in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth, since January 2018.

Kaboni was born in North Bay and his mother Kerri is a member of Nipissing First Nation; however, Kaboni moved with his father Wayne, a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, and his younger brother to Merritt, B.C. in 2014.

Kaboni, 18, believes he made a solid choice for his post-secondary education.

“I chose Humboldt because it was the best school for me,” he said. “I love the outdoors and the climate of the area. It also has a great Native American presence in the area therefore I won’t feel too far from home.”

Arcata is about 1,300 kilometres from Merritt. That’s actually about 900 kilometres closer to Merritt than Chatsworth is.

Humboldt has about 7,000 students.

“It’s also a big school but not too big,” Kaboni said.

Kaboni’s father is also pleased with his son’s decision.

“It’s a great place for him to go to school,” the elder Kaboni said. “And he’s excited about it.”

Wayne Kaboni said his son had also been accepted by a couple of other universities in the U.S.

“He just wanted to go to school,” he said, adding playing lacrosse at the post-secondary level was not in Clinton’s original plans.

But he had a change of heart after Humboldt offered a residency scholarship (Clinton was eligible since he had been living in California the past few years), which basically covers his tuition fees.

Besides contributing to the Hogs on the field, Kaboni also plans to make the most of his time in the classroom.

“I plan on studying business because I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and I can do a lot with a business degree,” he said.

Kaboni is also thinking several years down the line.

“I am hoping to eventually acquire my MBA,” he said.

Humboldt head coach Jacob Hluboky is rather pleased Kaboni will be joining his roster.

“We are very excited about our signing of Clinton,” he said. “He has a great lacrosse IQ and has a knack to be in the right place at the right time. The ball just seems to find him. We look forward to having him be a part of our program.”

Humboldt is one of seven clubs that competes in the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League’s Division II. This circuit features six clubs from California and one from Nevada.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions, Humboldt was unable to complete its 2020 spring schedule. Hluboky felt that announcing Kaboni’s commitment to the squad served as a morale boost for the program and that he is already anticipating the coming year.

“We are very excited to have a player like Clinton join our program and can’t wait to get back at it,” Hluboky said.

Kaboni is hoping to make his presence felt immediately with the Humboldt squad.

“I am hoping to make a big impact on the team and program by becoming a friend and leader for my teammates,” said Kaboni, who also played two years of both field and box lacrosse with the Los Angeles-based LA Heat. “I want our team to be the best.”