Gardena Serra has been a Division I football factory for some time now. The school has produced numerous top notch prospects including USC receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee and George Farmer. Offensive lineman Emerald Faletuipapai is a mountain of a man and will surely carry on the proud Serra tradition.
Faletuipapai has been mauling the opposition since he stepped on the gridiron. Last season, Emerald held it down at right guard for the Cavaliers. At 6’6 355, Emerald has the size and strength to impose his will and dominate his adversary.
Heading into his senior campaign, Emerald Faletuipapai has embraced the leadership role and hopes to guide the Cavaliers to a historic season.
Faletuipapai shared his thoughts about the upcoming season with CLA.
“I hope I can accomplish my goals as being a leader on the squad. This year will be crucial, I have been doing all I can to better myself for the team. This off-season I’ve been doing track twice a week and working on footwork drills. Last season, I played offensive guard, but this year Coach wanted me to play right tackle. Before the season I want to get my weight down to at least 340 pounds. I know I’m going to need to be more flexible and versatile. Last year, it was my first time starting at right guard and I felt comfortable playing that position. This year I will adapt at playing offensive tackle. I will do anything for my team. Also, this year will be my first year playing defensive tackle. I just felt that I needed to contribute more to my team. Last year we had a good season, but this year I want to go further.”
CLA expects the move to right tackle to be a smooth transition for Emerald. Faletuipapai’s team first mentality and willingness to do whatever it takes for his squad to succeed is refreshing and serves as a fine example for future college level athletes to emulate.
Not surprisingly, Faletuipapai has garnered interest from several schools around the country. Programs including USC, Oregon, Washington State, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska and Pittsburgh are clamoring for his services.
“I really like Washington State. I’ve been keeping in touch with Coach Dennis Simmons since the beginning of my recruiting process and I feel Washington State has a lot to offer with football and academics.”
A pivotal factor in Emerald’s destination will be family proximity which gives the Trojans the obvious inside track.
“I hope I can go to a school that is close to home. I’m highly interested in USC and I hope to get their attention as I work hard on and off the field. Especially in the classroom. I’m looking forward to attending the 2012 NFTC camp at Cerritos College on April 1st. I want to stay close to home because my family means a lot to me. They’re my number one support system.”
CLA looks forward to covering Emerald lead his Cavaliers to big things this year as he prepares to take his game to the next level.
