In a real-life version of “Where’s Waldo?,” University of Hawaii head athletic trainer Eric Okazaki was asked to spot the son of Navy football coach Kenny Niumatalolo.
Five seconds later, Okazaki, who had never met Va’a Niumatalolo, correctly picked him out from a cluster of people 50 yards away during Saturday’s UH football practice on the grass field.
“The stance,” Okazaki noted. “That’s Kenny Niumatalolo’s stance.”
Va’a laughed when told of the story. “Hands on the hip,” Niumatalolo said, mimicking his father’s familiar pose. “I try to avoid it. When I catch myself putting my hands on my hips, I put them down. I can see my dad. If you had all the guys with the same body type, I could tell which one is him by his stance.”
Niumatalolo, a linebacker who graduated from Brigham Young in April, is beginning his first season as an offensive intern with the Rainbow Warriors.
UH coach Nick Rolovich said that spending time at an unfamiliar position is a useful learning tool for a young coach.
“Getting him with the quarterbacks and seeing how this thing works will only benefit him down the road as a coach,” Rolovich said.
Niumatalolo said that in meetings, “I’m writing down more notes than the quarterbacks. For them, it’s just natural what they’re going through. It’s flipped how I see everything. I’m relearning. I’m getting down those fine details.”
The elder Niumatalolo was a Radford quarterback who went on to play for the Warriors. He also worked as a graduate assistant. After two stints at Navy and one at UNLV, he returned to Annapolis in 2002 as an assistant head coach. In 2007, he was promoted to head coach.
Of the elder Niumatalolo, Rolovich said: “If you love this game and you love Hawaii football, you all should love this guy who represented himself, his family and this state his entire life with a positive manner, and also was very successful.”
Rolovich said he received a letter from Kenny Niumatalolo asking if there was a graduate-assistant position available for his son. Rolovich said Kenny Niumatalolo was seeking a program that would treat his son “right and grow him in this game.”
Rolovich said he was “flattered” to receive the request. The GA spots were filled, but there was an opening for an intern.
Va’a Niumatalolo said: “It’s a huge honor to come out here. I’ve always respected Coach Rolovich and his staff. This location doesn’t hurt. It’s beautiful out here.”
He said he only lived in Hawaii two years before the family relocated to the mainland. He said it was “cool” to grow up in a football household.
“He’s just my dad,” Va’a said. “But it’s fun. We have the same hobbies. We both love football. It’s something to talk about.”
Va‘a recalled playing catch with his father. He admittedly could not throw very well. “He said, ‘OK, play defense,’” Va’a said, laughing.
Va’a said his college football career began and ended in Hawaii. In the regular-season finale in 2011, he traveled to Hawaii as a redshirt for BYU. “It was the first game I ever dressed,” he said.
He then went on a church mission before returning to BYU. The 2017 finale against UH was the last game of his collegiate career.
“It’s kind of cool,” he said.
This season, UH’s home opener will be against Navy.
“Hopefully, we beat them,” he said. “I’m a Warrior right now. Mainly, it would be nice to have bragging rights over my dad for the rest of our lives.”
