Tata, a former Saint Louis School standout, watched practice last Tuesday, worked out with the team the next day, and traveled to North Little Rock the following day for the Islanders' arenafootball2 game against the Arkansas Twisters.

The Islanders were short-handed on the line last week when Roy Maafala couldn't travel because of work-related reasons and Morrie Roe was placed on short-term injured reserve with a groin injury.

"I was very surprised (to make the trip)," said Tata, who added his conditioning was "average" prior to trying out. "I thought Coach (Cal Lee) was going to give me a chance to get my breathing back and conditioning, but he told me the next day I was traveling. I was up for it."

In Saturday's 58-39 loss to Arkansas, Tata didn't record any statistics. He'll play his first game in Hawai'i since high school when the Islanders (7-3) host the defending af2 champion Peoria Pirates (3-6) at 7:30 tomorrow night at Blaisdell Arena.

"It's a privilege playing in front of the fans back home," Tata said.

Tata, who is 6 feet 3 and 270 pounds, played for Lee while at Saint Louis.

"It's good because you know the person, you know his habits, you know what kind of a person he is, you know what he can do on the team," said Lee, when asked what it's like to coach another of his former players. "That's a big plus rather than trying to get to know the person and trying to know what kind of skills he has. He's got the good attitude, you know the background of him, he knows what you expect of him."

Tata, 24, was a high school teammate of wide receiver/defensive back Anthony Arceneaux.

"It's going to be great fun," Arceneaux said. "He was a great player in high school. He was the defensive player of the year (as a senior) and we need depth more at our line position because a lot of people are hurt or can't make it for work-(related reasons). He'll be a real contributor."

Tata was supposed to be a fifth-year senior at Nebraska in 2002, but he left the team and returned to Hawai'i to be with his ailing son.

"It was his second illness," Tata said. "The first one was pretty tough for me. I told myself the next one I'm coming home no matter what. I'm coming home for my son."

Tata declined to disclose his son's illness.

Tata enrolled at the University of Hawai'i with the hopes of joining the Warriors football team, but he said he didn't properly petition the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility for the 2003 season.

"Actually it was on my side of it," he said. "I didn't follow through on the procedure I had to take for getting my year back. I had to write a letter to the NCAA, which I didn't. I blame myself for that."

When Lee found out Tata was ineligible at UH, he tracked down his former player.

"The word was put out to find him and let him know of our intentions, so he got a hold of me and we hooked up," Lee said.

"He wanted to play, but he thought once the season starts it's too late to play. We let him know it's never too late at the professional level. We're happy he's here and he's going to be a good addition to our program."

Notes: Islanders who played for Cal Lee at Saint Louis are Tony Tata, Roy Maafala, Anthony Arceneaux, Darnell Arceneaux and Peter Salavea. ... As a senior in 1997, Tata was state player of the year as a linebacker.