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2023 Samoa Bowl features bang up round robin volleyball action

A West Coast player about to spike the ball
andrew@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Samoa Bowl, which has been dormant since 2016 has been revived thanks to the Lemanu/ Talauega Administration and it started off with a bang at the Department of Youth and Women's Affairs (DYWA) gymnasium yesterday with volleyball round-robin action between two local teams and two off-island teams.

According to one of the off-island coaches Toa Gaisoa, the head coach for Team Midwest, it is made up of players from Nebraska, Kansas City and Texas while Team West Coast is made up of players from California and Hawaii.

He revealed that he had been notified about the Samoa Bowl back in June and had proceeded to put together a team.

The Midwest head coach who is based in Dallas, Texas stated that he had about 40 players to choose from but because they had to fund the trip themselves, many could not make it except for the 10 players who are here.

The local teams called Taupou and Tausala gave the visitors a run for their money although they were defeated in the round-robin competition.

The first game between Midwest and Tausala ended with Midwest winning in two straight sets 25-16 and 25-7.

The second game was between West Coast and Taupou was an action-packed encounter which went head to head with West Coast emerging victorius in two straight hardly fought sets 27-25 and 25-23.

Game three was between the two local teams and Taupou proved too strong for Tausala taking both sets 25-19 and 25-20.

The last game of the day was between the two off-island teams, which Midwest won 25-19 and 25-17.

A press release from ASG said in the finals, West Coast vs Tausala — Tausala came out on top.

Arriving on Christmas night, one of the off-island delegation's organizers Keikiokalani Misipeka-Kelemete told local media that the goal of their visit was for the "girls to touch base with their roots, learn more about the Faasamoa and showcase their talent."

He also stated that they turned their visit into a mission trip bringing a lot of donations and gifts, which they presented to the staff of the LBJ Pediatric Unit and the Fatuoaiga Hope House for the care of the Elderly, the Infirmed and the Physically & Mentally Challenged.

On Tuesday, the visitors were officially welcomed in an opening ceremony at the Su'igaula-o-le-Atuvasa Park at Utulei, which included an ava ceremony performed by the American Samoa Community College.

In his remarks, Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga extended a warm welcome to the participating teams, coaches and players from off-island pointing out that the event was for cultivating talents and creating opportunities for our youth.

"The goal is to bring our children together," Governor Mauga explained. "The thought process behind this is to attract coaches and scouts from colleges and universities in the mainland to look at ouir local talent. It is also a chance for our children who reside off-island to reconnect with their roots, their families and Samoa. At the end of the day, you will know who you are, where you come from, know your families here that you have never met before and make a friend while you're here."

Governor Lemanu emphasized the importance of the connection, which binds our people who live off-island to the land where their parents and grandparents were born and he likened it to the Samoan fale talimalo or guest fale which is a huge structure.

He pointed out that before European interaction, these huge structure which are either round like the guest fale at the Su'igaula-o-le-Atuvasa Park or oblong like the Fano family guest house at Faga'alu were put together and held together by sennit rope or afa made from coconut husks.

"Much like the careful construction of the fale talimalo with the sennit rope, our diverse backgrounds are intricately tied together by our shared Samoan roots," the Governor said.

The volleyball round-robin action continued at the DYWR gymnasium while the Samoa Bowl football will kick-off on Saturday, December 30, 2023.

This year, 90 local players were drafted, including 29 from Tafuna High School, 12 from Samoana High School, nine from Nuuuli Voc Tech High School, 22 from Leone High School, 10 from Fagaitua High School, and nine from Faasao Marist High School, with two from off-island.

The off-island delegation is scheduled to depart on New Year's day, Monday, January 1, 2024.