By day, there’s a measure for each effort.
A score. A grade. Accumulate it all, and Faatuiolemotu Tuitele has perfection: a 4.0 grade-point average. He loves math, but has a passion for law.
“I want to be a prosecutor or defense attorney. Maybe a judge,” he said.
Outside the classroom, excellence is measured a bit differently. The Saint Louis senior has an enormous responsibility on the gridiron that can’t be measured in sheer numbers. The 6-foot-4, 299-pounder is a major reason why a once-depleted defensive line — depth was lacking when coaches Cal and Ron Lee returned five seasons ago — is now one of the best in the islands, perhaps in the nation. With USC-bound Gino Quinones also in the trenches and a slew of stud linebackers, Saint Louis has a premier front seven.
The Crusaders are 22-1 since Tuitele joined the varsity and became a Star-Advertiser All-State first-team selection. He lines up on the left side of a 3-4 scheme, taking the brunt of opposing ground attacks.
“I mean, he’s the kind of kid that you dream of, a guy who’s big in stature, smart, not just on the field, but a great guy to be around,” coach Cal Lee said. “You like being around a guy you can learn from, from his actions, the way he practices. People learn from him through his actions a lot more than his words. The way he acts in school. He’s a role model.”
Saint Louis was a perfect 10-0 last year, and in ’16, won the state title with a 10-1 mark. The Crusaders’ quest for a state-title three-peat is going well so far; they’re 2-0 in ’18. The Crusaders are ranked No. 10 nationally by MaxPreps.
Punahou coach Kale Ane compares Tuitele to former Notre Dame and Buffanblu lineman Jason Ching. Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez recalls former Leilehua, Utah and Buffalo Bills lineman Lauvale Sape when he sees Tuitele. Kamehameha coach Abu Ma’afala says Tuitele is a chip off the old block, a superb athlete like his father, Justin Tuitele of McKinley.
Growing up, playing for the Central Razorbacks youth team, “Tui” Tuitele’s favorite player was a tight end.
“Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) is the reason I changed my number from 81 to 87. At that size, moving that fast, he can block and run. He does his job good. That’s why the Patriots are my favorite team, from him,” Tuitele said.
In fact, he sees similarities between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Cal Lee.
“He kind of reminds me of Coach Cal. They don’t show any reaction. They’re calm, even with touchdowns and sacks. They want to move on to the next play. That’s their mind-sets. They know what it takes to build a championship team and a winning program,” Tuitele said.
It wasn’t until he began attending Saint Louis that defensive line play became his sole focus. Now, his favorite player is Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
“He’s undersized at 6 feet and NFL offensive linemen are 6-5, 6-6, but he’s dominated all of them. He’s faster than all of them, getting lower and beating them with his power. It’s a beautiful thing to watch him use his skills and ability,” Tuitele said.
All his talent and work ethic on the field and in the classroom has not gone unnoticed. Thirty-nine universities, including Hawaii, have offered Tuitele scholarships. He filtered through the offers and pared them down to a final five during the summer: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Texas and Washington.
“It’s a blessing. I love the process. I’m grateful for the coaches who take the time out to recruit me. Getting the mail is great. Sometimes, it’s overwhelming,” Tuitele said.
Growing up in Mayor Wright Housing, he was surrounded by dad (Justin), mom (Loitera) and extended family. While he attended Kaiulani Elementary School, Tuitele expected to go to McKinley, where an uncle, Mathias Tuitele, was a standout player.
Tuitele’s star rose, however, and by the time he participated in a Nike Spark Combine at Aloha Stadium in February 2015, the picture had already changed. As a ninth-grader, he played on Saint Louis’ intermediate team.
“My favorite was the agility (drill),” Tuitele said at the combine in an interview with Hawaii Prep World. “I did it good. It showed me where I’m at right now and what I need to work on and get ready for next season.”
With his final season underway, Tuitele’s legacy already includes ILH and state championships. But his most lasting effect goes beyond football, at least in his head coach’s eyes.
“He understands he is a role model,” Lee said. “He tries to do everything you tell him to do. I wish we had 100 of him.”
Q&A AND FAVORITES
Tui Tuitele • Saint Louis football player
>> Food: Pisupo and spaghetti (home), Korean fried chicken (Zippy’s).
>> Hobby: “Carrying all my teammates on Fortnite (video game). And eating.”
>> Movie: “When the Game Stands Tall”
>> TV show: “The Flash”
>> Music: Kapena, Boyz II Men, Tupac, NWA, Drake
>> GPA: 4.0
>> Motto: “There is a place where I’d rather be, high in the buildings of Mayor Wright Housing.”
>> What mom (Loitera) says: “Win or lose, we’ll always be proud of you. I love you, son.”
>> What dad (Justin) says: “No matter what you do, play physical, play fast and play hard! But most of all, HAVE FUN! I love you, boy.”
>> What your coaches say: “You’re playing for your family in the stands, your brothers next to you and CRUSADER NATION! Go out there and kick some (tail)!”
>> Bucket list: “I want to go to Samoa to see my roots, get to know my culture more and see where I came from.”
>> Did you know: Tuitele spent the summer boxing every morning off campus, then doing drills at school in the afternoon.
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See a video interview with Tuitele at www.hawaiiprepworld.com.
