04/29/2026
In 2019, at our inaugural Molokai Football Skills Camp, we couldn’t help but notice this huge young man with a Lion’s mane! He impressed us in all of the drills. He was not clumsy, he was quite athletic for a boy his size. When we asked , who this kid was, he said “Oh, that’s Uso ... he’s a senior this year and this will be his first year playing football”. What?!? His parents thought it was too violent a sport and thought he would get hurt. After years nagging, since middle school, asking his parents if he could play football, they finally caved and said ok. The rest was history!
We did our best to put him in front of all the collegiate coaches that we knew personally, to see if anyone had an interest in taking a chance on a kid that only played one year of high school football. It was a tall order. Coach Kahale did a great job in pulling his resources to get Uso an opportunity to go the JUCO route, which paid off well for him. Garden City CC in Kansas City offered him, and that was his ticket out! Probably the best thing for him, as he got the reps to just play at a higher and faster level. It didn’t take long, before Coach Mike Tuiasosopo, the D-Line coach at Kansas State had eyes on him, and gave him a chance to see what he could do. Uso was on scholarship in no time! and found himself getting playing time, and playing in the 2022 Big 12 Championship game and the 2022 Sugar Bowl. He had a great and fulfilling collegiate career, something he and his parents can be very proud of!
What’s next? Well, he was recently signed as an undrafted free agent, to the defending Superbowl champions, Seattle Seahawks! Let’s just say, he’ll have to go the “NFL JUCO” route again. He knows what he needs to do to make the 53-man roster, he’s done it before ... we have no doubt that he’ll do it again! Congratulations Uso! I know the island, the team, is proud of what you have accomplished. We ALL behind you! E’O MOLOKAI!
