Kamehameha's Ma'afala commits to UH football

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Albert "Abu" Ma'afala Jr., an all-state football player from the Kamehameha Schools, has accepted a football scholarship from the University of Hawai'i.

Ma'afala's father was a standout volleyball player. Ma'afala also is the nephew of Pittsburgh Steeler running back Chris Fuumatu-Ma'afala and the late Nick Ma'afala, a former UH standout who died last year of leukemia.

"Chris helped me out with recruiting," Ma'afala said. "He told me from the get-go, 'See where God shows you where to go.' I was praying on it, and I realized Hawai'i was the best option for me."

Ma'afala said his uncle Nick also was helpful, even while he was battling leukemia. After returning home from one hospital stay, "he went over, frame by frame, a videotape of one of my games," Ma'afala said. "He taught me how to strengthen my mind. ... He told me to stay home. I'm doing it for him a little. He told me how much it meant to play at UH."

Ma'afala took recruiting visits to Washington and Oregon. "I kind of waited it out to see what was going on," he said. "I weighed all of my options, and it came out to Hawai'i. I felt really comfortable there. I realized how special Hawai'i is to me."

Ma'afala said he notified Washington and Oregon coaches today. He also canceled his recruiting trip to Washington State next week.

Ma'afala said he was impressed withthe UH coaches, particulary head coach June Jones. "He didn't try to rush me," Ma'afala said. "He told me, 'You know how we feel about you.'"

Ma'afala, who is 6 feet 2 and 260 pounds, is projected to play defensive tackle at UH. He believes bulk up to 275 pounds by the start of training camp in August.