First impressions would have you cringing when lining up against Mana Tuivailala. Just the sight of a 288-pound lineman pancaking opponents or outrunning receivers is frightening.
But there is a kind side to Tuivailala. Soft-spoken with a smile as large as his frame, the eyes of the Seaside lineman do not portray an angry football player.
"He's never angry,'' Seaside teammate Jovann Lualemana said. "He looks happy all the time. He needs to be more nasty. He needs the beast to come out of him.''
Big things are expected from the heavily recruited Tuivailala, as he will anchor the Spartans' offensive and defensive lines. The 17-year-old already has an offer on the table from San Jose State.
"Every Pac 10 school has at least come through here and asked about him,'' Seaside coach Al Avila said. "Guys run into him and he just tosses them. If he could turn it on, the sky is the limit. His potential is unlimited."
In part because Tuivailala is still learning the game. Avila discovered the 6-foot-4 tackle on a basketball court as a freshman during a physical education class.
"I couldn't understand a word he said,'' Avila said. "I finally asked him, 'Have you played football?' When he nodded, 'No,' I asked, 'Do you want to play football?' He nodded, 'Yes.'"
Football was as foreign to Tuivailala as America. Having just moved from New Zealand in 2006, his sport of choice was rugby. In fact, he still plays the sport, although Avila has encouraged him to stop during the fall. "He supposedly was going to play in a big tournament in October,'' Avila said. "I told Mana your future is at stake. You've got too much riding on football to take that risk.'' Because Tuivailala was a late arrival as a sophomore, this is really just his second full year of football. Yet, his agility and size have enamoured college coaches. "Potential,'' Avila said. "It's untapped. One coach came in and worked him out for two hours and offered him a ride on the spot. He can move a lot better than some of our skilled guys.'' Chalk that up to rugby where Tuivailala developed his coordination and athleticism in a sport that tackling also occurs — without helmets. "The physical contact is similar,'' Tuivailala said. "But they are two totally different sports. We do not have helmets and pads. When I first put the equipment on, it was heavy. That was an adjustment.'' One practice was enough for Tuivailala to understand why the gear was required. "Someone laid me out on a tackle,'' Tuivailala said. "I said to myself this isn't going to happen again.'' The hesitation Tuivailala had about playing football has subsided. While he's still grasping the position, the strides he has taken in just two years have put him in the spotlight. "He will create problems for opponents on defense alone,'' Avila said. Lualemana hopes for similar results on the offensive line. Last year as a sophomore, the tailback chalked up over 700 yards behind a line that was beat up with injuries. "He hasn't played offense before,'' Lualemana said. "But with all the talent he has, he's going to open some holes for me.'' "I love hitting people,'' Tuivailala said. Once Tuivailala began to feel comfortable with playing the sport, he dedicated himself — including a summer of watching a lot of NFL film. "You could see in the last five games of the year that he began to come into his own,'' Avila said. "He was one of our few bright spots against Monterey. And he had a great game against Los Gatos.'' For the first time in five years, the Spartans are not defending a Monterey Bay League title. "We haven't talked about last year,'' Tuivailala said. "It's in the past. Let's forget about it and move on. We're close to being a complete team this year. That's what matters.'' Being harassed about his never ending smile doesn't seem to bother Tuivailala. It's part of his personality. Being angry on the field is not. "He's starting to get aggressive,'' Avila said. "He's the most athletic lineman I've ever had. If he ever gets nasty, he'll be something special. It's just scary how good he could become."
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