American Samoa – Tama Toa Haka by Tafuna High School
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American Samoa is a speck in the South Pacific and the football playing communities produce more players for the NFL than any place in America of comparable size. From an island of just 65,000 people, there are more than 30 players of Samoan descent in the NFL and more than 200 playing Division I college ball.
Last night on 60 Minutes Scott Pelley went to American Samoa He saw a football team warm up with the Haka War Dance – something that’s been passed down for ages to teach agility to warriors of size and strength.
What coach doesn’t wish he’d thought of that first? It turns out the South Pacific was raising football talent before there was football.
While Pelley was there, the island was getting set for its version of the Super Bowl – the High School Championship.
After a winning season, 16-year-old quarterback Tavita Neemia would lead the Samoana High School Sharks. His coach, Pepine Lauvoa, has a roster that mainland schools dream about.
“They’re soft spoken, they’re gentle,” he told Pelley of his players. “But when they put on their equipment, they just become monsters. And they just want to go out and hit and hit and hit.”
The New Zealand All Black Rugby team also perform the Haka War Dance before every game due to the influence of it’s native Maori population who are mighty rugby players.
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WOW! That is one hell of a turn around!!!!
Thinking of a holiday next year that’s one place the wifey came up with.
I once witnessed the immortal Jonah Lomu play for The All Blacks at Twickenham against an England ‘B’ team.
He touched the ball four times in the entire game scoring four ‘try’s’ and on each occasion passed the touch down line with at least three England players attached to his anatomy.