Trainer | Notre Dame DL Commit Tiki Hola Determined To Be Dominant

One of Carlos Chester’s first duties as owner of Nine 0 Elite Training Academy, as he sees it, is to weed out those players who aren’t extremely dedicated.

“That's definitely what we do,” says Chester, who trains offensive and defensive linemen in Texas. 

“I tell kids all the time, 'I'm here to run you off if you're not going to be dedicated. If you have the desire to play at the next level, you're going to have to do what it takes to do that.' 

“We're not a daycare. We're not just a place where you come to just say you're a part of the program. We want to make sure that we're putting out great athletes and that's been our legacy.”

One prospect who Chester couldn’t run off is Tiki Hola‍, the 2026 Texas defensive linemen who is committed to Notre Dame.

“He's just a determined kid,” Chester says of Hola. “As far as technique, Tiki uses his hands great. He has a nose for the ball on the run, definitely. He's a great run-stopper. Passing situations, he's a three-down player. Like I said, he can stop the run and then line up as far as pass-rush situations and get to the quarterback as well.”

Hola started working with Chester when he was in middle school and made a big jump between eighth grade and ninth grade.

“He kind of just blossomed and grew a little bit too,” Chester says of Hola, who is up to 6-2, 285 pounds these days. “I saw the dominance that he was having against his opponents and peers at that age. 

“With him continuing with his great work ethic as well, I knew that he would definitely be great. As far as his pursuit to where he is now, that's just something that he's definitely just dedicated himself into getting better, focusing on technique, working out when a lot of other kids weren't doing anything.”

Chester says Nine 0 Elite is a “365-day program.”

“We work offseason, in-season, summertime,” he says. “They really dedicate themselves as far as putting in that extra work and Tiki was no different. He's a well-rounded kid. He comes from a great background. 

“We supply the blueprint and they put in the work. That's basically how it goes.”

Chester sees Hola playing one and three-technique at Notre Dame, but also has the ability to play the five,

“Tiki's blessed with great speed, great hands, and size,” he says.