Promise to mom fuels Fa’amasino to chase gridiron greatness
Lui Fa’amasino
He’s driven by a declaration to honor his mom.
“I promised my mom before she died of cancer that I would make something out of myself,” Fa’amasino told me.
Fa’amasino, of West High fame, is an explosive linebacker at Los Angeles Harbor College coming off a super sophomore season that led to his first scholarship offer from a NCAA D1 school. Other D1s are showing major interest as well.
“It’s a dream I’ve always had since a kid. My brother and I talked about me making it since elementary,” he said. “I deserve to play with the best.”
The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder finished second on LA Harbor with 79 tackles in nine games, including a team-best 12 tackles for loss. He also led the team with 4.5 sacks.
“I feel that this season I played the best mental football of my life,” Fa’amasino said. “I understood our defensive scheme and watched film constantly. I was able to make a lot more plays.”
He was at his best busting through the line, using a devastating cutback move to utilize his quickness and maneuver around meaty offensive linemen.
“Being physical and using the right technique depending on the guy I was going against is how I got through the line,” he said. “High school you can muscle your way through football, but college you have to be strategic on how you try to muscle your way through while playing smart and doing your assignment.”
Fa’amasino is strong enough to bring down ballcarriers with one arm [watch his hudl clips] and he’s athletic enough to play zone coverage [that’s how he got his interception].
New Mexico State offered a few days ago, he said, while other schools have shown heavy interest such as Arizona State, Hawaii, UTEP, Southeastern Louisiana and Sacramento State.
“Coaches say after the first offer, other schools will start to roll in,” he said. “The first offer made me feel relieved/happy/speechless. I wanted to cry because I put in so much work and took a huge chance on doing the JUCO route, which isn’t an easy route to take.”
Fa’amasino plays football for his mom and for everyone who has to guts to chase their dream.
“I want to show high school athletes from Alaska that if I can make it out of a junior college and play D1, that they can too,” he said. “I am no different than them. Don’t be discouraged and give up on your dream just because Alaska kids don’t get recruited. Go out there and chase it while you’re young and your body allows you to. Believe in yourself and trust that God has a plan for you.”