Jan. 22, 2011
SALT LAKE CITY -
Norm Chow, recognized as one of the top offensive coaches in college football, is Utah's new offensive coordinator, head coach Kyle Whittingham announced today. Chow brings 38 years of coaching experience to the job, including 35 years as an NCAA assistant coach and three years as an NFL assistant. He was most recently at UCLA, where he spent the last three seasons as the Bruins' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
"Adding Norm Chow to our offensive staff was an opportunity that we couldn't pass up," said Whittingham. "Norm is widely considered one of the top offensive coordinators in the country and his experience at both USC and UCLA will aid us in our transition into the Pac-12 Conference. I have a longstanding relationship with Norm and have a tremendous amount of respect for him and what he has accomplished over the course of his career. His hiring will obviously mean some restructuring within our offensive staff and those details will be announced when they are finalized."
"I am awfully excited to be going back to my alma mater," said Chow. "The University of Utah is where I started my career. I met my wife there. How many people get to go back to their alma mater? This is an exciting day for me."
A three-time national Assistant Coach of the Year, Chow has served as the offensive coordinator for three national championship teams (Brigham Young, 1984; USC 2003 and 2004). One of the game's most credentialed quarterbacks coaches, he has tutored three Heisman Trophy winners (Ty Detmer, Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart) and six NFL first-round draft picks (Palmer, Leinart, Philip Rivers, Steve Young, Jim McMahon, Marc Wilson). Young is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Chow also has an NFL Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl quarterback to his credit. While the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans (2005-07), Chow helped Vince Young transition from college to professional football. In his first NFL season in 2006, Young became only the second quarterback to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and he was the first rookie quarterback to play in the Pro Bowl. Tennessee's run game also fared well under Chow and the Titans finished fifth in the league in 2006 in rushing (2,214 yards) while setting a franchise record for yards per carry (4.7). In his last season as Tennessee's offensive coordinator, the 2007 Titans won 10 games and earned a spot in the NFL playoffs.
Continue
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
2010 GSP All-Southern California FB Team
The team includes AIGA Foundation Polynesian All American Classic participants
Siaosi Aiono, David Moala, Junior Pomee, and Micah Seau.
First Team
TE- Junior Pomee, Moreno Valley Ranch Verde
Second Team
OL- Siaosi Aiono, Covina South Hills
DL- David Moala, Gardena Serra
DL- Faitele Faafoi, Tustin
LB- Micah Seau, La Jolla The Bishop's School
Siaosi Aiono, David Moala, Junior Pomee, and Micah Seau.
First Team
TE- Junior Pomee, Moreno Valley Ranch Verde
Second Team
OL- Siaosi Aiono, Covina South Hills
DL- David Moala, Gardena Serra
DL- Faitele Faafoi, Tustin
LB- Micah Seau, La Jolla The Bishop's School
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Polynesian pride celebrated on the football field
By BOB PADECKY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Makana Garrigan and Sam Atoe stood there at midfield Saturday, facing the stands at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles with 59 other Pacific Islanders, all of them in a single line, in football uniform, the game just moments away, when they began the Haka.
The Haka is a posture dance, its origins from the Maori of New Zealand. It can be used as a welcoming gesture or as a ceremonial rite. Most commonly, it is displayed before a football game by Polynesians.
“To intimidate our opponents,” said Atoe, the running back/linebacker from Maria Carrillo.
This time, however, it was done not to intimidate but to celebrate a culture. This was the First Annual Polynesian All-American Classic football game, a collection of the best senior high school talent in America with Pacific Island heritage. And it was quite a collection, 61 players from nine states. At least 23 of them have verbally committed to Division I NCAA universities.
Atoe was one of them, having verbally committed to San Diego State on Sunday before last.
Garrigan has been offered a full ride to both Fresno State and UC San Diego, is being pursued heavily by others, and will wait just before National Letter-of-Intent Day on Feb. 2 to make a decision.
It’s a wise decision, considering what happened on the fifth play of Saturday’s game.
Atoe took a pitch from the quarterback and took off to the right as if to run. Garrigan, at wide receiver, blocked his cornerback for three seconds and then released downfield on a streak. Atoe’s pass found him perfectly.
“I felt someone behind me and so I changed direction,” Garrigan said. “A bit later I felt someone else behind me and changed direction again.”
Garrigan made it 50 yards before being tackled. He caught five passes for 75 yards. You would think that 50-yarder would be the game’s highlight for him. It wasn’t. It was being with his brothers, 60 of them, 61 kids with that same island DNA in them, 61 kids that really needed no introduction, an island culture, small in numbers, strong in shared identity.
“It was like I had known everyone for at least five years,” Garrigan said.
“It all happened so fast,” Atoe said of his five days in L.A. “I wasn’t ready to go home.”
How could Atoe? At halftime, Hawaiian reggae star J Boog was singing on the sideline. Within seconds a dozen players from the Black and White team gathered at midfield, formed a circle and began dancing. Atoe was one of them.
“It was so cool,” Atoe said.
It was so cool when 49ers guard Mike Iupati met with the players on Thursday, the player with Samoan heritage who told them to go to college, get an education and be proud of who they are, be proud of their origins, be aware of who they represent.
Like Iupati had to say anything at all. The pride of an Islander who plays football is like the eternal flame, it never goes out. Probably because it never can. Not after everything that’s happened. Not after the reputation they have earned in both college and pro football. Pacific Islanders make up just 0.3 percent of the American population. Yet 63 of them are playing in the NFL and at least 200 of them are on NCAA D-I rosters. ESPN statisticians calculate that a kid growing up in American Samoa is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a kid growing up on the mainland.
“When I talk to college scouts,” said Casa Grande football Trent Herzog, “it’ll come up in conversation: ‘I got a player who has the blood.’ The college guy will just nod, smile and ask me for some tape. Everyone in college football knows what ‘they got the blood’ means. It means a player who is respectful, honest, tough, with the heart of a warrior, who will do anything for you.”
Sounds like the perfect definition of a football player, when phrased like that.
“Yep,” Herzog said.
To get a sense of that engine that drives a Pacific Islander in football, a simple image can bring it into quick clarity.
“When I step on the field,” Atoe said, “I feel it.”
The surge. The electricity. The hot wire. The feeling of being plugged in, of belonging nowhere else. The feeling of home, actually.
“It’s indescribable, really,” Garrigan said. “It’s like something inside me just clicks on.”
As a Pacific Islander once said, “We grew up loving rugby but football pays better.” Contact, the tie that binds.
“When I hit someone,” said Rancho Cotate defensive end Mike Tuaua, who will play for SRJC this fall, “I don’t feel a thing.”
Or to put it another way: “I’ve always been more aggressive than anyone else,” Garrigan said. “I know I can lay someone out. It doesn’t matter how big they are. When I played in high school, there were some players who took plays off. Not us (Pacific Islanders). We go 100 percent all the time. That’s why Saturday was so much fun. You knew everyone was playing the same way, smashmouth. It’s like the sport is made for us.”
Not to mention their bodies.
“There weren’t any little kid bodies out there Saturday,” Garrigan said.
College and pro football are becoming aware of Polynesians playing football the way Major League Baseball first became aware of the talent in the Dominican Republic. That was the purpose for the all-star game Saturday, to raise awareness. It was the brainchild of George Malauulu, a former University of Arizona quarterback. And with that talent came certain assumptions.
“I thought everyone was going to be cocky,” Garrigan said.
Then Garrigan realized where he was, who he was with, as best illuminated by Atoe.
“We are a humble people,” Atoe said. “That’s how we are raised. To respect everyone. For me to disrespect someone, I would be ashamed. It would be embarrassing. If I did that, I couldn’t look that person in the eye. I am always aware of the people I represent.”
Would it feel like betrayal of his culture?
“Yes,” Atoe said. “Betrayal.”
Atoe offered his response to success, a response you wish could spread among all cultures, one that does not have a strut to it or a Sharpie signing a football.
“After games this year,” Atoe said, “people might come up to me and congratulate me on a good game. I wouldn’t know what to say. It’s like I don’t deserve it, like I know I could do more. I’d blush.”
Blush, after a compliment?
“Yes, I would,” Atoe said.
That’s why Atoe and Garrigan loved last Saturday. No one betrayed the culture. No one took plays off. Everyone did the Haka. Everyone knew this was a flashpoint unique to anything they ever experienced.
“A bunch of us were talking,” Garrigan said, “and we all came to the same conclusion. If this was a high school team, we’d be state champions.”
And then some.
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Makana Garrigan and Sam Atoe stood there at midfield Saturday, facing the stands at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles with 59 other Pacific Islanders, all of them in a single line, in football uniform, the game just moments away, when they began the Haka.
In unison, they stomped their feet, vigorously crossed and uncrossed their arms, chanted, stuck out their tongues in an exaggerated style, opened their eyes wide. As pregame shows go, it doesn’t get any more distinctive or personal. Think of the baritone voice of James Earl Jones propelled with great vigor through a megaphone.
“There was so much energy,” said Garrigan, a wide receiver/safety from Casa Grande. Now, days later, Garrigan admitted, he still gets goose bumps just from the re-telling of it.The Haka is a posture dance, its origins from the Maori of New Zealand. It can be used as a welcoming gesture or as a ceremonial rite. Most commonly, it is displayed before a football game by Polynesians.
“To intimidate our opponents,” said Atoe, the running back/linebacker from Maria Carrillo.
This time, however, it was done not to intimidate but to celebrate a culture. This was the First Annual Polynesian All-American Classic football game, a collection of the best senior high school talent in America with Pacific Island heritage. And it was quite a collection, 61 players from nine states. At least 23 of them have verbally committed to Division I NCAA universities.
Atoe was one of them, having verbally committed to San Diego State on Sunday before last.
Garrigan has been offered a full ride to both Fresno State and UC San Diego, is being pursued heavily by others, and will wait just before National Letter-of-Intent Day on Feb. 2 to make a decision.
It’s a wise decision, considering what happened on the fifth play of Saturday’s game.
Atoe took a pitch from the quarterback and took off to the right as if to run. Garrigan, at wide receiver, blocked his cornerback for three seconds and then released downfield on a streak. Atoe’s pass found him perfectly.
“I felt someone behind me and so I changed direction,” Garrigan said. “A bit later I felt someone else behind me and changed direction again.”
Garrigan made it 50 yards before being tackled. He caught five passes for 75 yards. You would think that 50-yarder would be the game’s highlight for him. It wasn’t. It was being with his brothers, 60 of them, 61 kids with that same island DNA in them, 61 kids that really needed no introduction, an island culture, small in numbers, strong in shared identity.
“It was like I had known everyone for at least five years,” Garrigan said.
“It all happened so fast,” Atoe said of his five days in L.A. “I wasn’t ready to go home.”
How could Atoe? At halftime, Hawaiian reggae star J Boog was singing on the sideline. Within seconds a dozen players from the Black and White team gathered at midfield, formed a circle and began dancing. Atoe was one of them.
“It was so cool,” Atoe said.
It was so cool when 49ers guard Mike Iupati met with the players on Thursday, the player with Samoan heritage who told them to go to college, get an education and be proud of who they are, be proud of their origins, be aware of who they represent.
Like Iupati had to say anything at all. The pride of an Islander who plays football is like the eternal flame, it never goes out. Probably because it never can. Not after everything that’s happened. Not after the reputation they have earned in both college and pro football. Pacific Islanders make up just 0.3 percent of the American population. Yet 63 of them are playing in the NFL and at least 200 of them are on NCAA D-I rosters. ESPN statisticians calculate that a kid growing up in American Samoa is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a kid growing up on the mainland.
“When I talk to college scouts,” said Casa Grande football Trent Herzog, “it’ll come up in conversation: ‘I got a player who has the blood.’ The college guy will just nod, smile and ask me for some tape. Everyone in college football knows what ‘they got the blood’ means. It means a player who is respectful, honest, tough, with the heart of a warrior, who will do anything for you.”
Sounds like the perfect definition of a football player, when phrased like that.
“Yep,” Herzog said.
To get a sense of that engine that drives a Pacific Islander in football, a simple image can bring it into quick clarity.
“When I step on the field,” Atoe said, “I feel it.”
The surge. The electricity. The hot wire. The feeling of being plugged in, of belonging nowhere else. The feeling of home, actually.
“It’s indescribable, really,” Garrigan said. “It’s like something inside me just clicks on.”
As a Pacific Islander once said, “We grew up loving rugby but football pays better.” Contact, the tie that binds.
“When I hit someone,” said Rancho Cotate defensive end Mike Tuaua, who will play for SRJC this fall, “I don’t feel a thing.”
Or to put it another way: “I’ve always been more aggressive than anyone else,” Garrigan said. “I know I can lay someone out. It doesn’t matter how big they are. When I played in high school, there were some players who took plays off. Not us (Pacific Islanders). We go 100 percent all the time. That’s why Saturday was so much fun. You knew everyone was playing the same way, smashmouth. It’s like the sport is made for us.”
Not to mention their bodies.
“There weren’t any little kid bodies out there Saturday,” Garrigan said.
College and pro football are becoming aware of Polynesians playing football the way Major League Baseball first became aware of the talent in the Dominican Republic. That was the purpose for the all-star game Saturday, to raise awareness. It was the brainchild of George Malauulu, a former University of Arizona quarterback. And with that talent came certain assumptions.
“I thought everyone was going to be cocky,” Garrigan said.
Then Garrigan realized where he was, who he was with, as best illuminated by Atoe.
“We are a humble people,” Atoe said. “That’s how we are raised. To respect everyone. For me to disrespect someone, I would be ashamed. It would be embarrassing. If I did that, I couldn’t look that person in the eye. I am always aware of the people I represent.”
Would it feel like betrayal of his culture?
“Yes,” Atoe said. “Betrayal.”
Atoe offered his response to success, a response you wish could spread among all cultures, one that does not have a strut to it or a Sharpie signing a football.
“After games this year,” Atoe said, “people might come up to me and congratulate me on a good game. I wouldn’t know what to say. It’s like I don’t deserve it, like I know I could do more. I’d blush.”
Blush, after a compliment?
“Yes, I would,” Atoe said.
That’s why Atoe and Garrigan loved last Saturday. No one betrayed the culture. No one took plays off. Everyone did the Haka. Everyone knew this was a flashpoint unique to anything they ever experienced.
“A bunch of us were talking,” Garrigan said, “and we all came to the same conclusion. If this was a high school team, we’d be state champions.”
And then some.
CA All-State Underclass football teams reveals wealth of talent
First Team (Juniors)
OL – Freddie Tagaloa (Salesian, Richmond) 6-7, 320
LB – Butch Pauu (Servite, Anaheim) 6-0, 210
Third Team (Juniors)
OL Leo Lafaele (Centennial, Corona); 6-4, 315
DL Aaron Leauma (Mission Hills, San Marcos) 6-0, 260
OL Tavita Taito (Deer Valley, Antioch) 6-2, 295
First Team (Sophomores)
OL – David Maka (Tustin) 6-3, 315
DL—Vita Vea (Milpitas) 6-4, 260
LB – Shaunne Katoa (Monterey) 6-2, 200
DB – Su’a Cravens (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta) 6-1, 200
QB/RB – Tofi Pao Pao (Oceanside) 6-1, 205
Second Team (Sophomores)
DL William Milo (Helix, La Mesa) 5-9, 265
OL Pue’ Togia (Carson) 6-4, 260
OL – Freddie Tagaloa (Salesian, Richmond) 6-7, 320
LB – Butch Pauu (Servite, Anaheim) 6-0, 210
Third Team (Juniors)
OL Leo Lafaele (Centennial, Corona); 6-4, 315
DL Aaron Leauma (Mission Hills, San Marcos) 6-0, 260
OL Tavita Taito (Deer Valley, Antioch) 6-2, 295
First Team (Sophomores)
OL – David Maka (Tustin) 6-3, 315
DL—Vita Vea (Milpitas) 6-4, 260
LB – Shaunne Katoa (Monterey) 6-2, 200
DB – Su’a Cravens (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta) 6-1, 200
QB/RB – Tofi Pao Pao (Oceanside) 6-1, 205
Second Team (Sophomores)
DL William Milo (Helix, La Mesa) 5-9, 265
OL Pue’ Togia (Carson) 6-4, 260
2010 GSP All-Northern California FB Team
The team includes AIGA Foundation Polynesian All American Classic participants
Sam Atoe, Justin Satele, Filipo Sau, and Drake Tofi.
First Team
OL- Justin Satele, San Jose Valley Christian
DL- Viliami Moala, Sacramento Grant (NorCal Defensive Player of the Year)
DL- Faigame Lopa, Sacramento Grant
LB- Darryl Paulo, Sacramento Grant
Second Team
RB- Drake Tofi, Elk Grove Monterey Trail
OL- Filipo Sau, Sacramento Grant
DL- T.J. Poloai, Sacramento Burbank
LB- Sam Atoe, Santa Rosa Carrillo
Sam Atoe, Justin Satele, Filipo Sau, and Drake Tofi.
First Team
OL- Justin Satele, San Jose Valley Christian
DL- Viliami Moala, Sacramento Grant (NorCal Defensive Player of the Year)
DL- Faigame Lopa, Sacramento Grant
LB- Darryl Paulo, Sacramento Grant
Second Team
RB- Drake Tofi, Elk Grove Monterey Trail
OL- Filipo Sau, Sacramento Grant
DL- T.J. Poloai, Sacramento Burbank
LB- Sam Atoe, Santa Rosa Carrillo
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Stoops Adds Akina to Staff
Jan. 18, 2011
Duane Akina, a defensive coaching veteran at Texas and Arizona for the past 24 years, was hired today as secondary coach at the University of Arizona by head coach Mike Stoops.
Akina, 54, has coached three Thorpe Award winners including Darryll Lewis at Arizona, and 23 defensive backs who moved on to the NFL. He has been at Texas for the past 10 years and was a top defensive assistant at Arizona from 1987 to 2000.
"Duane has a ton of experience at the top level of the game, is familiar with the Arizona program and is a great complement to our defensive staff," said Stoops. "He's been a coordinator at two schools and knows defense inside and out. His championship experience will be a huge benefit to our program."
"I'm very excited about coming back to Arizona. It's obviously a special place for me and my family, where lots of good things happened," Akina said. "I'm grateful to Texas for giving me a chance to be a part of Longhorn football for the past 10 years and now I'm appreciative of the chance to work with Coach Stoops. (Athletics director) Greg Byrne has a vision for Arizona football that's going to work. I want to help," he said.
A 33-year coaching veteran who has spent the bulk of those seasons working with defensive backs, Akina tutored Lewis (1990) and UT's Michael Huff (2005) and Aaron Ross (2006) to Thorpe Awards, plus has worked with six finalists for the honor including UA's Chris McAlister. He also worked with UA consensus All-American Chuck Cecil in his first season at Arizona in 1987.
Akina has eight years' experience as a coordinator. He was offensive coordinator for Dick Tomey at UA from 1992-95, and Texas' co-defensive coordinator for four seasons under Mack Brown at Texas from 2004-07. He has been assistant head coach and defensive backs coach the last three years at Texas. He joined the UT staff for the 2001 season as DBs coach after briefly being named defensive coordinator under John Mackovic at Arizona that winter.
Continue
Duane Akina, a defensive coaching veteran at Texas and Arizona for the past 24 years, was hired today as secondary coach at the University of Arizona by head coach Mike Stoops.
Akina, 54, has coached three Thorpe Award winners including Darryll Lewis at Arizona, and 23 defensive backs who moved on to the NFL. He has been at Texas for the past 10 years and was a top defensive assistant at Arizona from 1987 to 2000.
"Duane has a ton of experience at the top level of the game, is familiar with the Arizona program and is a great complement to our defensive staff," said Stoops. "He's been a coordinator at two schools and knows defense inside and out. His championship experience will be a huge benefit to our program."
"I'm very excited about coming back to Arizona. It's obviously a special place for me and my family, where lots of good things happened," Akina said. "I'm grateful to Texas for giving me a chance to be a part of Longhorn football for the past 10 years and now I'm appreciative of the chance to work with Coach Stoops. (Athletics director) Greg Byrne has a vision for Arizona football that's going to work. I want to help," he said.
A 33-year coaching veteran who has spent the bulk of those seasons working with defensive backs, Akina tutored Lewis (1990) and UT's Michael Huff (2005) and Aaron Ross (2006) to Thorpe Awards, plus has worked with six finalists for the honor including UA's Chris McAlister. He also worked with UA consensus All-American Chuck Cecil in his first season at Arizona in 1987.
Akina has eight years' experience as a coordinator. He was offensive coordinator for Dick Tomey at UA from 1992-95, and Texas' co-defensive coordinator for four seasons under Mack Brown at Texas from 2004-07. He has been assistant head coach and defensive backs coach the last three years at Texas. He joined the UT staff for the 2001 season as DBs coach after briefly being named defensive coordinator under John Mackovic at Arizona that winter.
Continue
Monday, January 17, 2011
Football game is a Polynesian family affair
By Austin Knoblauch
January 15, 2011, 6:50 p.m
"The Polynesian culture is very family-oriented," said George Malauulu, the foundation's president, who played at Carson before becoming the starting quarterback at Arizona during the early 1990s. "We look after each other just like an ordinary family does."
And the "family" had the biggest gathering of its 14-year history Saturday night when more than 60 players from 10 states and American Samoa participated in the Polynesian All-American Classic at Cathedral High in Los Angeles.
Team Black defeated Team White (names based on the color of the jerseys), 21-8, after players on both sides took part in a traditional Maori dance known as the "Haka" before the opening kickoff.
Many of the game's players are related to current and past NFL stars. Some of them included former NFL great Junior Seau's nephews Micah and Ian Seau as well as Maika Polamalu, a cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and former USC star Troy Polamalu.
While the game gave many players an opportunity to be seen by recruiters a final time before national signing day Feb. 2, it also provided a chance for them to meet and get advice from past and present football stars who share their Polynesian heritage.
Former Pro Bowlers Kurt Gouveia and Dan Saleaumua coached the teams in the classic, working closely with the players during three practice sessions. San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati also was on hand during a pregame function Thursday, offering advice to the players.
"You could tell he wanted to help everyone feel good about the [college] decisions they were going to make," said Alo, who was born in Hawaii and comes from a Samoan background.
The older generation helping the younger generation is the guiding principle behind the AIGA foundation, Malauulu says.
When he and a group of other former high school athletes formed the organization, Malauulu said, they wanted to create an environment that would apply traditional Polynesian family values to the process of preparing athletes for college. The foundation's name reflects this goal — the word "aiga" means "extended family" in the Samoan language.
"We understand how difficult the process can be for student-athletes and parents," said Malauulu, whose organization helps "anyone who asks" regardless of their ethnic background. "We were all there at one point ourselves. … It's about trying to make things easier by having people who've done it before lead the way."
The number of Polynesian players in the college and pro ranks has steadily increased over the last decade and Malauulu says that has made things easier for Polynesian players who want play after high school.
According to the NCAA 2009-10 student-athlete race and ethnicity report, 1.3% of college football players are of native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander decent, which is roughly a 40% increase from the 1999-2000 season. That's a large number considering less than 0.2% of Americans claim native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ancestry, according to 2009 U.S. census data.
"We're not totally responsible for that, but we've been a piece of the puzzle," Malauulu said.
The foundation hopes to make the Polynesian All-American Classic an annual event.
As for Alo, he was happy to get another chance in front of recruiters with his high school playing days behind him.
"I've had a lot of fun this week," Alo said. "This is a great idea. … I think it's really going to help players get noticed."
January 15, 2011, 6:50 p.m
AIGA Foundation tries to help high school players with Hawaiian or Pacific Islander backgrounds get college scholarships.
After receiving his first scholarship offer last week from Hawaii, Carson quarterback Justin Alo thanked his extended family for helping him move closer to his dream of playing college football.
"They've helped me out a lot over the years," Alo said. "They definitely made it possible."
The family Alo actually thanked was his on-field family, a group of hundreds of players and coaches who share a love for football and a common ethnic heritage.
For years Alo has participated in camps and combines run by the AIGA foundation, a nonprofit group that helps players with Polynesian ethnic backgrounds land scholarships. Since 1997, the group has helped dozens of players reach the college ranks, utilizing a network of coaches and college football contacts to train players and get them noticed by recruiters.
"The Polynesian culture is very family-oriented," said George Malauulu, the foundation's president, who played at Carson before becoming the starting quarterback at Arizona during the early 1990s. "We look after each other just like an ordinary family does."
And the "family" had the biggest gathering of its 14-year history Saturday night when more than 60 players from 10 states and American Samoa participated in the Polynesian All-American Classic at Cathedral High in Los Angeles.
Team Black defeated Team White (names based on the color of the jerseys), 21-8, after players on both sides took part in a traditional Maori dance known as the "Haka" before the opening kickoff.
Many of the game's players are related to current and past NFL stars. Some of them included former NFL great Junior Seau's nephews Micah and Ian Seau as well as Maika Polamalu, a cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and former USC star Troy Polamalu.
While the game gave many players an opportunity to be seen by recruiters a final time before national signing day Feb. 2, it also provided a chance for them to meet and get advice from past and present football stars who share their Polynesian heritage.
Former Pro Bowlers Kurt Gouveia and Dan Saleaumua coached the teams in the classic, working closely with the players during three practice sessions. San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati also was on hand during a pregame function Thursday, offering advice to the players.
"You could tell he wanted to help everyone feel good about the [college] decisions they were going to make," said Alo, who was born in Hawaii and comes from a Samoan background.
The older generation helping the younger generation is the guiding principle behind the AIGA foundation, Malauulu says.
When he and a group of other former high school athletes formed the organization, Malauulu said, they wanted to create an environment that would apply traditional Polynesian family values to the process of preparing athletes for college. The foundation's name reflects this goal — the word "aiga" means "extended family" in the Samoan language.
"We understand how difficult the process can be for student-athletes and parents," said Malauulu, whose organization helps "anyone who asks" regardless of their ethnic background. "We were all there at one point ourselves. … It's about trying to make things easier by having people who've done it before lead the way."
The number of Polynesian players in the college and pro ranks has steadily increased over the last decade and Malauulu says that has made things easier for Polynesian players who want play after high school.
According to the NCAA 2009-10 student-athlete race and ethnicity report, 1.3% of college football players are of native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander decent, which is roughly a 40% increase from the 1999-2000 season. That's a large number considering less than 0.2% of Americans claim native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ancestry, according to 2009 U.S. census data.
"We're not totally responsible for that, but we've been a piece of the puzzle," Malauulu said.
The foundation hopes to make the Polynesian All-American Classic an annual event.
As for Alo, he was happy to get another chance in front of recruiters with his high school playing days behind him.
"I've had a lot of fun this week," Alo said. "This is a great idea. … I think it's really going to help players get noticed."
Polynesians bask in final shot to play
Posted: 01/16/2011 12:03:06 AM PST
They came for the football, they came for the food, they came for the celebration of Polynesian culture.
And they got an extra-point kick attempt by J.R. Tavai as a bonus.
While the first Polynesian All-American Classic had its lighter moments at Cathedral High on Saturday, no one was missing the meaning of the event that included a four-day program for high school seniors to not only be recognized on the field, but to get a glimpse of what the future could hold for them.
"It's a great opportunity to be chosen to play another game in high school," Serra defensive tackle David Moala said. "Maybe it gave me another chance to get a scholarship, one more time, one more shot."
Tavai already has his future locked up with USC, but he understood the experience he had was a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
"I like playing against Polynesians," Tavai said. "It's a great experience coming against some of the best Polys from around the world, some of the best coaches around the world. It was just fun."
Tavai's Black team, coached by NFL trail blazer Dan Saleaumua, had the most fun by scoring a 21-8 victory over Moala and the White team, coached by former NFL linebacker Kurt Gouveia.
Presented by the AIGA Foundation and organized by former Carson High star quarterback George Malau'ulu, the event included players from all over the country and American Samoa, where the sport has exploded in popularity.
While Polynesians certainly have made inroads in the sport, they figure it never hurts to have an event on a larger stage to expose their athletes to more opportunities. "Coaches only get to watch so much video of certain games," Saleaumua said. "But when you bring a pool of talent of kids that you've heard or I've heard are supposed to be good players, and you put them in an environment where they have to compete on a consistent basis all day during the week, then they can lay it on the line and have fun with it on Saturday, the pressure's on them.
"I'm only here just to help. I want to make sure the kids have fun. And being the first (game), it had to be good and I think we put on a pretty good performance. But the game is what it's all about."
The players from both teams joined at midfield to perform the haka before the opening kickoff, then they got to cracking heads.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter, then the Black team began to get chances. Its first came when Carson quarterback Justin Alo gave the Black a first-and-goal with a 14-yard pass to Noah Tarrant.
But on fourth down, Alo's pass to a wide-open Tigi Hill was dropped in the end zone. But on the next play, Hill atoned for his drop with an interception.
Tavai set up the first touchdown when he recovered a fumbled exchange between quarterback Alex Kuresa and running back Drake Tofi at the 1-yard line. On the next play, Andrew Faraimo scored for a 6-0 lead.
Tavai's extra-point kick? Let's just say it had the distance but was wide left.
Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey guided the Black on a 76-yard scoring drive and pushed the lead to 12-0 on his 9-yard scoring pass to Duke Bukoski.
Alo's 26-yard pass Sateki Finau and Alo's 21-yard run set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Sam Atoe in the third quarter, making it 18-0. Woolsey connected on a 26-yard field goal to make it 21-0 later in the period.
Alo completed four of nine passes for 53 yards and also ran five times for 30 yards. Woolsey was 7-for-13 for 111 yards.
The White finally scored in the fourth quarter when Kuresa passed 1 yard to Junior Pomee, then hit Tofi for the two-point conversion.
And they got an extra-point kick attempt by J.R. Tavai as a bonus.
While the first Polynesian All-American Classic had its lighter moments at Cathedral High on Saturday, no one was missing the meaning of the event that included a four-day program for high school seniors to not only be recognized on the field, but to get a glimpse of what the future could hold for them.
"It's a great opportunity to be chosen to play another game in high school," Serra defensive tackle David Moala said. "Maybe it gave me another chance to get a scholarship, one more time, one more shot."
Tavai already has his future locked up with USC, but he understood the experience he had was a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
"I like playing against Polynesians," Tavai said. "It's a great experience coming against some of the best Polys from around the world, some of the best coaches around the world. It was just fun."
Tavai's Black team, coached by NFL trail blazer Dan Saleaumua, had the most fun by scoring a 21-8 victory over Moala and the White team, coached by former NFL linebacker Kurt Gouveia.
Presented by the AIGA Foundation and organized by former Carson High star quarterback George Malau'ulu, the event included players from all over the country and American Samoa, where the sport has exploded in popularity.
While Polynesians certainly have made inroads in the sport, they figure it never hurts to have an event on a larger stage to expose their athletes to more opportunities. "Coaches only get to watch so much video of certain games," Saleaumua said. "But when you bring a pool of talent of kids that you've heard or I've heard are supposed to be good players, and you put them in an environment where they have to compete on a consistent basis all day during the week, then they can lay it on the line and have fun with it on Saturday, the pressure's on them.
"I'm only here just to help. I want to make sure the kids have fun. And being the first (game), it had to be good and I think we put on a pretty good performance. But the game is what it's all about."
The players from both teams joined at midfield to perform the haka before the opening kickoff, then they got to cracking heads.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter, then the Black team began to get chances. Its first came when Carson quarterback Justin Alo gave the Black a first-and-goal with a 14-yard pass to Noah Tarrant.
But on fourth down, Alo's pass to a wide-open Tigi Hill was dropped in the end zone. But on the next play, Hill atoned for his drop with an interception.
Tavai set up the first touchdown when he recovered a fumbled exchange between quarterback Alex Kuresa and running back Drake Tofi at the 1-yard line. On the next play, Andrew Faraimo scored for a 6-0 lead.
Tavai's extra-point kick? Let's just say it had the distance but was wide left.
Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey guided the Black on a 76-yard scoring drive and pushed the lead to 12-0 on his 9-yard scoring pass to Duke Bukoski.
Alo's 26-yard pass Sateki Finau and Alo's 21-yard run set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Sam Atoe in the third quarter, making it 18-0. Woolsey connected on a 26-yard field goal to make it 21-0 later in the period.
Alo completed four of nine passes for 53 yards and also ran five times for 30 yards. Woolsey was 7-for-13 for 111 yards.
The White finally scored in the fourth quarter when Kuresa passed 1 yard to Junior Pomee, then hit Tofi for the two-point conversion.
Tavai Shines at Polynesian Classic
Mira Costa DL/FB J.R. Tavai had a dominant performance during the first-ever Polynesian All-American Classic on Saturday, but more than his impressive play, he was just proud to be involved with the start of something special.
Mira Costa DL/FB J.R. Tavai had a dominant performance during the first-ever Polynesian All-American Classic on Saturday, but more than his impressive play, he was just proud to be involved with the start of something special. “It is a once in a lifetime chance and we made the most of it,” Tavai said. “To meet all of these Polys here was a great experience. It was great to compete with them. It was just a lot of fun.”
On the field, Tavai caused havoc in the opposing backfield all afternoon. He finished the day with a quarterback sack, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and he also recovered a fumble.
While it was hard not to be impressed with his tremendous effort, the humble playmaker known as the “Hulk” wasn’t ready to heap praise on himself.
When asked about his play, Tavai simply shrugged his shoulders and said he did “average.”
It was that type of “average” day that caught the eye of the USC coaching staff during Tavai’s senior season at Mira Costa High School.
The 6-2, 250-pound athlete played a number of different positions for the Mustangs and will get a look at defensive tackle and fullback at USC.
“They are going to give me a chance at both fullback and defensive tackle,” Tavai said. “I want to play defensive tackle because I like getting to the quarterback, so hopefully I can be better than those over there.”
Tavai committed to the Trojans back in December because of the combination of strong academics and an experienced coaching staff.
“First of all, they have great coaches and a degree from USC is real big, it can get you anywhere for a job interview and all of that,” he said. “Football-wise I will have coaches that have been in the NFL so I will get some NFL exposure and hopefully I make what I have been given great.”
He was recruited by defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and was drawn to Kiffin’s passion for the game.
“He may be over seventy or something but he still looks like he is in his prime,” said Tavai. “He is very excited about football and does it with his heart.”
Mira Costa DL/FB J.R. Tavai had a dominant performance during the first-ever Polynesian All-American Classic on Saturday, but more than his impressive play, he was just proud to be involved with the start of something special. “It is a once in a lifetime chance and we made the most of it,” Tavai said. “To meet all of these Polys here was a great experience. It was great to compete with them. It was just a lot of fun.”
On the field, Tavai caused havoc in the opposing backfield all afternoon. He finished the day with a quarterback sack, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and he also recovered a fumble.
While it was hard not to be impressed with his tremendous effort, the humble playmaker known as the “Hulk” wasn’t ready to heap praise on himself.
When asked about his play, Tavai simply shrugged his shoulders and said he did “average.”
It was that type of “average” day that caught the eye of the USC coaching staff during Tavai’s senior season at Mira Costa High School.
The 6-2, 250-pound athlete played a number of different positions for the Mustangs and will get a look at defensive tackle and fullback at USC.
“They are going to give me a chance at both fullback and defensive tackle,” Tavai said. “I want to play defensive tackle because I like getting to the quarterback, so hopefully I can be better than those over there.”
Tavai committed to the Trojans back in December because of the combination of strong academics and an experienced coaching staff.
“First of all, they have great coaches and a degree from USC is real big, it can get you anywhere for a job interview and all of that,” he said. “Football-wise I will have coaches that have been in the NFL so I will get some NFL exposure and hopefully I make what I have been given great.”
He was recruited by defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and was drawn to Kiffin’s passion for the game.
“He may be over seventy or something but he still looks like he is in his prime,” said Tavai. “He is very excited about football and does it with his heart.”
Polynesian stars prepare for own all-star football game
By Jim Halley, USA TODAY
Kyle Gouveia, an all-state linebacker from Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Va.) had 90 first hits, 30 assisted tackles, five interceptions and five sacks in 2010 for a team that finished second in the state's second-largest classification.
What he doesn't have yet is a college football scholarship, one reason he's looking forward to playing Saturday in the AIGA Polynesian All-American Football Classic in Los Angeles.
Though the percentage of people with Pacific Islander ethnicity is very small in the U.S. population, it is proportionately higher in college football.
The 2009 U.S. census listed residents with Native Hawaiian or Pacific Island ancestry as only 578,000, or roughly 0.19% of the population. According to an NCAA report from the 2007-08 school year, those with Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander ethnicity accounted for 1.9% of football players in all divisions.
"We come from a people who are family oriented," said George Malauulu, a former quarterback at Arizona and president of the AIGA foundation.
"Most U.S. kids play for their school. As a Polynesian, it goes deeper. When you step on a football field, you represent your family and your culture."
Though Gouveia said some college coaches might find him, at 6-2, 205 pounds, to be too slow to be a defensive back and too small to be a college linebacker, he shares an affinity with many Polynesian players in that he enjoys hitting.
"I think it's the physical part of the game — we all like that, along with the hard work," Gouveia said.
Gouveia's father, Walter, played college football, as did Gouveia's older brother, Walter Jr. He has a cousin, Jeron, who's a linebacker for Virginia Tech and another, Landon, who played wide receiver for Catawba (N.C.). Gouveia's uncle is former NFL linebacker Kurt Gouveia, one of the coaches in Saturday's game. Gouveia's father and older brother also will be on hand Saturday.
"They've helped me out in so many ways, especially in tips on how to play," Kyle said.
Some of the other players with prominent ties in the game: Pottsgrove (Pottstown, Pa.) running back/defensive back Maika Polamalu, cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu; Bishop's School (La Jolla, Calif.) linebacker Micah Seau and La Costa (Carlsbad, Calif.) linebacker Ian Seau, nephews of NFL great Junior Seau; and, Broadneck (Annapolis, Md.) linebacker Va'a Niumatalolo, son of Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo.
"A lot of these kids are related to players who are in the NFL right now," said Sean Duran, one of the game's organizers. "I think the reason you see so many good Polynesian players is the culture. There's a lot of emphasis on family and discipline and that adapts to football."
Gouveia said he looks forward to connecting with other Polynesian players this week.
"I don't know too many other Polynesian players," he said. "We'll probably talk about food, family and whatever common interests we have. I'll have to learn the Haka (a Maori traditional dance performed immediately before sport matches)."
The game will be played at Cathedral High and webcast live at 7 p.m. ET on uproz.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)