By: Kimberly Yamaguchi
Maa Tanuvasa, two-time Super Bowl champion, had never played an organized sport until his sophomore year of high school. After several transitions and seventeen years of dedication, he was finishing off a successful ten year NFL career.
“(Tanuvasa) was a very talented athlete with no experience in football,” explained Tanuvasa’s high school coach, Sanford Kawana. Though he started later than most, the talent that Tanuvasa possessed was apparent from the beginning.
As time progressed, Tanuvasa evolved into an even stronger player, catching the attention of many college recruiters. By the time his senior year came around, he was receiving offers to play in college. “I had a few offers to play mainland football. But I wanted to play in front of my family and friends… my family wouldn’t be able to watch me play on the mainland, so I stayed home,” Tanuvasa explained.
He took an offer to play at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and was astounded by the level of talent he saw there. “Being a great player in high school and going into an atmosphere where you’re starting all over again … (It) was eye opening to see all of the talent at the college level.”
Though college athletics were different than high school, Tanuvasa took the changes in stride. However, in his senior year of college, his career really started to take off. “I got drafted into the (Los Angeles) Rams out of college.” Shortly after, he played for the Denver Broncos as a critical component of their defense.
Tanuvasa had to adjust yet again in his transition from college to professional football. “There was more pressure at the pro level because you always have to produce every game,” Tanuvasa explained. “They pay you a lot of money in order for you to do your job well. Very stressful, but the benefits and the pay were really good.”
After finishing his professional football career with the Broncos, Tanuvasa went back to his alma mater, Mililani High School, as security personnel and to work with the next generation of high school football players.
