By Jannah Kalai
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Former assistant football coach and current security guard Maa Tanuvasa was awarded a golden football for his nine season long career in the National Football League (NFL) as well as with his participation in two Super Bowl championships with the Denver Broncos in 1997 and 1998. In recognition of 50th Anniversary of the Super Bowl, high schools across the nation recieved a golden football for each alumni who had gone on to play in one or more Super Bowl games. Tanuvasa was presented the football as a part of the MHS football banquet held on Jan. 30 at the Nehelani Banquet & Conference Center on Schofield Barracks. The banquet was not only a time to reflect on Tanuvasa’s football career and accomplishments, but also his contributions and legacy to Hawaiian and Polynesian athletes past, present and future.
“He’s multi-dimensional, and although football is a great big part of his life I see him as more of a pillar in the community, and I think his reach is far beyond the football demographic in terms of being an inspiration,” expressed Principal Fred Murphy.
Tanuvasa is the co-founder, along with Jesse Sapolu, of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame located in the Polynesian Cultural Center, established in 2013 to recognize athletes and preserve the Polynesian football history. “He took something that could have been all about him, him being an NFL Star and he said, ‘Well I’m going to use that platform to speak and to celebrate others.’ That to me is the epitome of somebody who is celebrating their community and humility,” expressed Murphy.
Tanuvasa is described as a staple in the Mililani community. “He’s a selfless person—what you see is what you get—that’s exactly how he is as a father, a husband, a son, a son-in-law, brother and uncle,” stated Kris Tanuvasa, wife of Tanuvasa. Murphy added, “I think he likes the flexibility and he likes working with the students. He’s really doing it because he wants to invest in our community. He certainly chooses to help our school and his community, and that is a beautiful thing.”
He serves not only as an inspiration towards Polynesian and Mililani athletes, but also to his family. “For me, he’s a leader. He’s humble and on the field he motivates everyone to get better and helps them. He leads the team by example,” Maa Tanuvasa Jr. said. “This is a great honor for us because it is recognition of everything that he does and has done, in football and as a father as well; not only including what he does for our family but also for others.” Kris Tanuvasa added, “He always said when I first met him he wanted to play college ball, play in the NFL for 10 years, move back to Hawaii and give back to the community—which he is doing now.”
It comes not only as a shock, but also as a congratulatory reward for his hard work and dedication to his career. “I think that it represents that someone from Mililani was able to play football at the highest level and it just shows that anyone from here can achieve those goals and be able to make it that far,” Tanuvasa stated. “It’s not just an achievement for myself, it’s an achievement for Mililani and Mililani High School.”
Looking back at his career on the Super Bowl’s 50th Anniversary, Tanuvasa says he would not change anything that has happened in his life, career or family wise. “I think that whatever I have gone through in my past has made me the person I am today—whether it was good or bad—but everything has turned out the way it has turned out and I am just happy and blessed that I have my health, my family and good friends that are around to support everything I do.”
Tanuvasa continues to serve as an inspiration to the entire Mililani community, Polynesian football community and Hawaiian athlete demographic. His dedication to his work, and the stability of himself and his family continue to be his focus as he pushes his legacy into the new year.
