Coming out party: Portland State star finds purpose
http://www.montanakaimin.com/news/coming-out-party-portland-state-star-finds-purpose-1.1690429
Growing up a mere two miles from Waikiki Beach, every day of the week seemed like the perfect time for a party on the ocean. The sun was shining and Manoa Latu was in the prime of his youth. He was a burly defensive star on his high school football team.
He had football and he had parties and nothing else really mattered.
But his parents worried about his behavior. Latu was raised in a strict Mormon household, and each Sunday they would attend church. He'd be wild at night before his parents forced him to attend ceremonies in the morning. Through it all, he never gave religion much of a shot.
When he graduated in 2008, the native Hawaiian took his football skills to the mainland, landing at a junior college in California. Raw football talent followed him. From his free safety position, he intercepted six passes as a freshman. But his crazy off-field life began to catch up with him.
"In high school all I wanted to do was party and play football," Latu said. "At junior college, it got even worse. You get your own apartment with the boys - there's no parents around."
His performance on the field started slipping. After after night after night of heavy drinking as a sophomore, Latu realized he needed a change. He dropped his vices, transferred to Portland State and picked up the Book of Mormon.
Now the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder is the leading tackler for the Vikings and lives his life for the Lord. He attends church every Sunday he can - team practices on Sundays occasionally interfere - and avoids alcohol.
"Without my faith I don't think I'd be the kind of person I am today," Latu said, long pauses dispersed throughout his words. There was a lengthy silence before he continued. "I didn't really know the meaning of the word happiness until I started praying and going to church."
He said his faith restored a work ethic buried long ago. He said he knows he has to do his part to make good things happen in his own life. On the gridiron that means doing extra reps after practice, intensifying his workouts and being a vocal leader on defense. Off the field, it means living justly and serving his community.
In living his days by the Book of Mormon, a new appreciation for life has filled his thoughts.
"Even if we lose our games, I'm thankful to be playing another down and living another day. It took me a long time to realize that," he said, his voice dipping to a pensive whisper.
Latu's grounding in his faith makes him a solid leader on the team, first-year coach Nigel Burton said. He's not the most vocal player, but his dedication to practice speaks volumes.
"I think he has an added sense of maturity," Burton said. "Manoa is a very talented player … and he doesn't let certain thing get to him."
When Burton took over as coach last December, the first player he signed for his new regime was Latu. He said the Hawaiian had caught his eye coming out of high school while Burton was defensive coordinator at the University of Nevada. When he got a second chance at signing the safety, he made it happen.
"We felt like we'd established a relationship there," Burton said. "He understood that the system [at Portland State] was changing and during his visit, he fell in love with the city and the strong Polynesian community. It made it a no-brainer for him."
On the team, Latu has bonded with other players of Hawaiian birth or descent, easing his transition to a new city. They act as a support network for each other off the field, and of course they eat Hawaiian dishes together. When the topic switches to food, the emotion in his voice stays, but excitement takes over.
One player's uncle has a Hawaiian food restaurant, Latu said. It's a frequent stop for island natives looking for traditional cooked pig or "poke," a raw fish dish marinated in tangy sauces and cooked with onions. Or his favorite, chicken loco moco.
"It's pretty tight," Latu said about the teriyaki meal that's topped with a type of gravy and a fried egg.
