Introduced to the team by Tongan students (Pacific Islanders) in 2005 or so.
Illaiasi Ofa, producer of "Voice of Tonga" tv program.
"reassurance that we are part of this community...that they accept us as we are." - Ofa
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/pumping-up-with-a-war-dance/
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/pumping-up-with-a-war-dance/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_High_School_%28Euless,_Texas%29
Moses Vakalahi - staff at Trinity HS
left a message on 2/15/2016
more info: Many ex-players come back every June to give a free football camp for young Trojans (The Ikuna Camp directed by former Trinity HS All-American, Moses Vakalahi). ~ He is currently an assistant football coach.
HOW
THE HAKA FOUND TRINITY
By Coach Jason Dibble
In the spring of 2005 in the A325 computer lab, three
Trinity football players surfed the web looking for stock tips, but they
somehow wound up on a web site of a world famous New Zealand rugby team. At first,
the boys were scolded for not checking out a stock market web site. Then one of
them said, “Coach, check this out; you guys ought to do this. It would be
awesome!”
The instructor agreed, and the idea was presented to some of
the boys who danced with the Polynesian Club. The Tongan community was
consulted, and the idea was brought to the head football coach. During the
off-season, an instructional video was made. The team was taught the words,
moves and the meaning of the original Haka which means “to ignite the
breath.”
On a rainy day before spring football, the Trojans met in
the weight room to do the Haka for the first time as a team. From the very
beginning, it was special. Having never
practiced as a group, the team became one moving in unison.
The Trojans practiced all spring and into the fall of
2005. The Haka was introduced to
Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD at Pennington Field before the first game against
DeSoto. The first team to do the Haka
went on to win the 5A Division I State Championship.
Trinity practices the Haka to “ignite the breath”, energize the body and
inspire the spirit. It is a collective
frenzy, a united front, and a feeling of unity-a feeling of one!
running start - a racing start in which the contestants are already in full motion when theypass the starting line
