The temptation to leave his small town, his hometown, was always there.
In the end, Solomone Malafu stayed put in Kapaa, at least until December.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound football standout, who broke out on a large scale with a 98-yard touchdown run during the 2021 Division II state championship game, will be inducted in the Hawaii Hall of Honor while already enrolled at UCLA.
Malafu graduated early and began his first quarter in January. Getting an early start in the Bruins’ program also means he invested in his future — with reliable wake-up tools.
“I get up 5:30 in the morning. I set four alarms. Usually, I’m asleep by 9:30 at night,” he said. “I’m taking three classes a quarter. It’s going pretty well. … At the start, it was pretty hard to get used to how they use certain websites and how classes are done, but now I’m used to it.”
The change from life in Kapaa to life in Los Angeles could have made a homesick man out of Malafu.
“Honestly, on the weekends, there’s always things to do with the boys on the team. I miss the food and my family back home. I miss plate lunches, mac salads and rice. Poke bowls. I miss my mom’s cooking on Sundays,” he said.
The Hawaii Hall of Honor wasn’t on Malafu’s radar until recently.
“My first thought when I heard about the induction was great because at first I didn’t know what it was. I looked more into it and realized it’s kind of a big deal,” Malafu said.
The HOH scholarship money will be useful.
“I’ll probably save it for college things in the future, just for emergencies, I guess. This $2,000 was earned with hard work,” he said.
Malafu was selected by coaches and media as a Star-Advertiser All-State player in his junior year. A knee injury during senior year curtailed him, a sprained MCL suffered in a preseason game against Saint Louis.
He has healed up since. Planning an early graduation cut his prep basketball career short and ensured that he wouldn’t transfer elsewhere. Friends at Kahuku had been imploring him to come join Big Red for senior year.
“Knowing I was going to early-enroll (at UCLA), my parents didn’t want me to leave in the fall,” Malafu said.
Time went by so quickly.
“Winning the first state (football) championship for my school is one of my favorite memories. Another memorable thing was setting the record for the longest touchdown in a state game,” Malafu said of the 98-yard TD jaunt.
“My third favorite memory would be Saturday morning practices, because after that, the boys would go to the beach and chill, and have a good time,” Malafu said.
Beach life isn’t quite as common now with the demands of a UCLA freshman football player.
He looks back and thinks more personal preparation at a younger age would have been a big benefit.
“If I could’ve done something differently it would probably be study the game, be more detailed so that in college, it comes easy or not hard when you get there,” Malafu said.
Yet, he is doing as well as expected for a true freshman at middle linebacker.
“I’m playing well right now. I’m in the rotation, getting reps in the spring. I’m second string. Some guys are hurt right now. Being here in the spring, I haven’t gotten hurt,” said Malafu, who is also getting reps on kickoff return and kickoff coverage.
Being a good listener has helped.
“A good tendency that serves me in my athletic career is being able to do what I’m told and coached with no questions asked. From being at home and how I was raised, you are who you are because of how you’re raised,” Malafu said. “On and off the field.”
Life in L.A., even within the confines of a college athlete, can be eye-opening sometimes. Malafu will stay in Westwood for summer workouts and summer school.
“After spring football, we had two weeks off and went over to this community gym for students. DK Metcalf (of the Seattle Seahawks) works out on our field every morning, so he plays basketball with us, too. He can get rebounds and he can jump. He was dunking the ball like crazy,” Malafu observed. “But he can’t shoot.”
Everything goes back to his parents, who often had fundraisers to send Malafu to camps on Oahu and the mainland.
“We made plate lunches, bakery goods. My mom did the cooking,” he said. “I had help from other people, which was good, too. Shout out to my parents and my family for supporting me with everything I do.”
Malafu’s exploits won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
“I want to be remembered as the person that put a lot of effort and hard work to get where I am today, but also knowing where my support came from. Just being thankful for everything and people I’ve known or crossed paths with,” he said. “As for my journey, I want people to know, as well as younger, upcoming athletes, that it’s possible for them to get into schools out of state and ball out there.”
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Hall of Honor inductees
>> Milan Ah Yat of University Lab and Pac-Five
>> Leonard Ah You of Kahuku
>> Elijah Dinkel of Kamehameha-Hawaii
>> Brock Fonoimoana of Kahuku
>> Taryn Irimata of Campbell
>> Liona Lefau of Kahuku
>> Tatum Moku of Kamehameha
>> Keala Montgomery of Lanai
>> Raya Nakao of Punahou
>> Zola O’Donnell of Mililani
>> Marley Roe of Kamehameha
