KELLOGG — Mandatory football practice is still weeks away, but something unusual is happening on the practice field at Kellogg High School. Players are showing up voluntarily. 

For a program that has spent the past three seasons middling to an 8-18 record, a turnout for optional summer workouts might not seem like much. In Kellogg, though, it feels like a start. 

The spark appears to be the arrival of new head coach Sam Mailou, a first-time head coach whose path to the Silver Valley began more than 2,700 miles away in Hawaii. 

Recently hired to lead the Wildcats, Mailou, 35, spent several years as an assistant coach at Waianae High School on Oahu. Now, he gets his first opportunity to run a program of his own and reshape one that has struggled to find traction in recent years. 

His first objective has little to do with wins and losses. He wants to reset the culture.  

"We're going to be the hardest working team on the field," he said. "We're going to bust our butts every day. No one is going to outwork us. I don't expect us to lose, but if we lose, that means we needed to learn something." 

Before he even arrived in town this week, Mailou had already begun laying the groundwork. He spent weeks calling returning players and incoming freshmen, introducing himself, sending playbooks, and inviting them to attend the voluntary workouts. 

The response was immediate. 

16 players showed up on the first day on Wednesday, including several who had previously said they did not plan to play football this season. On day two, three of those players were unavailable, yet attendance still climbed to 18. 

For a program that has averaged only 25 players for the past three seasons, the numbers feel like something to be optimistic about. 

Mailou is not making the transition alone. 

His staff is almost entirely new to the Kellogg program, with longtime local coach Dave Carlile serving as the lone returner from last year's staff. Carlile will be the Wildcats' offensive coordinator, while newcomers Moses McAninch joins as defensive coordinator and Elijah Gordon will oversee strength and conditioning while coaching defensive backs. 

Football is only part of Mailou's new role in Kellogg. 

He has also accepted a teaching position at KHS, where he will take over the physical education program, something he said he is excited about. 

That opportunity is especially meaningful for Mailou, who described himself as a "knucklehead" during his younger years. Those experiences helped shape his desire to work with students, particularly those searching for direction. 

Still, he believes accountability matters just as much as encouragement. 

"I'm a stickler for the rules," Mailou said. "If you want things to go the right way, you have to do them the right way. I want things done the right way." 

Whether the rebuilding process takes one season or several, Mailou said he wants his program to become a source of pride for the community that has welcomed him. 

"I want the town to be proud of the team," he said. "From everything I've heard and everything they've gone through. They just want something they can hold onto and say, 'that's our team - that's our school.' For me, I'm all about that pride." 

The Wildcats will begin that journey Aug. 21 when they open the season at home against Bonners Ferry.