Arizona’s contingent at Huge 12 Media Days (left to proper): huge receiver Tetairoa McMillan, security Gunner Maldonado, coach Brent Brennan, linebacker Jacob Manu and quarterback Noah Fifita. All of them are sporting leis made by McMillan’s mother Shawny (Arizona Athletics photograph)
LAS VEGAS — The leaf leis worn by Arizona coach Brent Brennan and his gamers Tetairoa McMillan, Noah Fifita, Jacob Manu and Gunner Maldonado at Wednesday’s Huge 12 Media Days had been a daring assertion of the Polynesian household bond that exists throughout the program.
McMillan’s mom Shawny made the leis and transported them from her dwelling in California, holding the leaves recent in a cooler. She offered the leis to her son and Arizona’s contingent on the foyer of the Bellagio, the place they stayed right here for the Huge 12 Media Days.
“Tremendous cool — it’s at all times an unimaginable honor when the mom of a Polynesian participant provides you one in all these,” Brennan mentioned. “I’m tremendous honored to put on it. … Simply an superior lady. These gamers are actually, actually particular youngsters and it’s superior. Everybody was excited to put on it.”
Brent Brennan press gathering after he was on stage. Requested Brennan in regards to the leis worn by himself, Tetairoa McMillan, Noah Fifita, Gunner Maldonado and Jacob Manu to Huge 12 Media Days. McMillan’s mother Shawny traveled from California after placing them collectively and stored them in a… pic.twitter.com/Yc1D9Hl7qo
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 10, 2024
Arizona’s teaching employees consists of Polynesians Duane Akina (defensive coordinator), Joe Seumalo (defensive position) and Lyle Moevao (quarterbacks).
Brennan has a background of embracing the tradition when he was an assistant at Hawaii and was a part of Tomey’s staffs at Arizona and San Jose State.
Brennan talked about that Tomey introduced the widespread recruiting of the Polynesian group to Arizona “as a result of he was one of many first guys to recruit American Somoa, Fiji, Tonga — all these locations — due to the place they had been on the College of Hawaii. When he got here to Arizona, that grew to become a part of our crew at Arizona.”
“It’s been superior to see that tradition’s impression on the sport of soccer,” Brennan added.
“Brent Brennan is superior. I like that man.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake on Arizona’s coach who will take the Wildcats to Provo on Oct. 12. #Big12MediaDays pic.twitter.com/LU4AgFa7ao
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 10, 2024
BYU coach Kalani Sitake is a Polynesian who’s broadly revered inside that group as the primary particular person from Tonga to be a university head coach. He mentioned of Arizona’s new coach: “Brent Brennan is superior. I like that man.”
His full title is Kelaokalani Fifita Sitake.
“I like Kalani; we labored collectively at Oregon State (as assistant coaches),” Brennan mentioned. “We’ve recognized one another as younger assistants within the Pac-12. We had been quick mates. He’s an superior coach.
“I used to be with him when he received the BYU job (in 2016). We had been in a five-day stretch that we had been in Texas and California recruiting. He’s taking cellphone calls and I’m within the automobile. He’s like, ‘I’ve gotta inform you what’s occurring.’ I’m sitting there listening to his half of the dialog. It was like, ‘What’s up?’ However, yeah, we lived in the identical neighborhood at Oregon State. Our youngsters ran round collectively and we spent a while collectively socially. We simply love that household.”
Manu, along with his Polynesian nickname “Nuku,” on a necklace, mentioned his tradition that stresses household values resonates with all of the gamers, not solely those that have that ethnic background. He mentioned this system doesn’t have gamers who’re in numerous cliques due to it.
Jacob Manu addresses questions in regards to the Polynesian tradition with the crew, what it’s like being coached by Duane Akina and AD Desiree Reed-Francois’ declare that he’s a top-notch pickleball participant. pic.twitter.com/dal87l6Ub4
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 10, 2024
“I really feel like Arizona is embracing us and our Polynesian tradition is beginning to develop, which is sweet,” Manu mentioned.
He seemed on the digital camera and mentioned, “All you Poly recruits on the market include us, let’s go.”
Brennan understands the worth Polynesian recruits carry not solely with their expertise however with their character, strengthened by their upbringing.
The cultures which fall underneath Polynesia embody Native Hawaii (United States), Samoa, American Samoa (United States), Tokelaua (New Zealand), Tahiti (French Polynesia), Fiji, and Tonga, amongst others.
In most Polynesian cultures, relationships are important to success. Belief is constructed by means of a tradition of hospitality and a prioritization of group. A robust sense of respect for elders can also be broadly instilled from a younger age. Polynesian cultures worth a give attention to collective effort as effectively. For instance, in Samoan tradition, the phrase “fa’a-Samoa” is used to point the excessive significance of the dignity and achievements of the collective, reasonably than on particular person achievements.
“I like how a lot they respect their dad and mom, how a lot they respect one another, how a lot they respect their coaches,” Brennan mentioned. “I feel they add an unimaginable household part to the soccer program.”
Brent Brennan talked about how his straight-forward endearing character strengthened his bond with Arizona’s returning gamers, together with these deep within the Polynesian tradition with Brennan’s background in Hawaii and with the late Dick Tomey (who embraced that tradition dearly). He… pic.twitter.com/97J04PpjHV
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 10, 2024
Fifita is one who’s admired by many youth soccer gamers in Southern Arizona as a result of he has helped coach or mentor lots of them regardless of his younger age whereas nonetheless attending school.
The youth gravitate towards him due to how he conducts himself professionally and expresses exhausting work will result in potential success.
“I’m honored to have that fame for all of the Polynesian youngsters sort of wanting as much as me, in addition to all of the Filipino youngsters,” Fifita mentioned. “It’s a blessing. I used to look as much as guys as effectively. Being in that place now could be a blessing and one thing I don’t take calmly.”
Noah Fifita: “You’re going to see loads of ardour. We love one another. We love enjoying the sport.” pic.twitter.com/Bdwenn3Y9W
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 10, 2024
When Brennan and former Arizona defensive lineman nice Joe Salave’a had been a part of Tomey’s employees at San Jose State from 2008 to 2009, in addition they went on recruiting journeys collectively.
Brennan recalled a time he was with Salave’a at East Palo Alto, Calif., they usually ate Lu.
“Tongan deal, it’s like corned beef wrapped in a taro leaf that they steam,” Brennan mentioned. “It’s like the scale of a soccer. I used to be so full once we left. I used to be dying. I used to be consuming with massive Joe Salave’a.”
Brennan’s background combined with the enriching qualities of Polynesian tradition, when it comes to a powerful sense of household, from lots of his leaders on the crew corresponding to Fifita, McMillan, Manu and Jonah Savaiinaea has benefited his transition from San Jose State to Arizona after changing Jedd Fisch as head coach.
“That (Polynesian) group has been such an enormous a part of my life,” Brennan mentioned. “It’s additionally useful for these gamers to have the ability to name somebody they know who performed for us and to have somebody in that group say they belief me or they belief our employees. In that group, it’s extremely highly effective.”
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com writer, author and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Membership award winner. He’s a former Arizona Each day Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball crew, together with when the Wildcats gained the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has additionally written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports activities, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting Information and Baseball America, amongst many different publications. He has additionally authored the e-book “The Highest Type of Dwelling”, which is on the market at Amazon. He grew to become an educator in 2016 and is presently a particular schooling trainer at Sunnyside Excessive College within the Sunnyside Unified College District.
