"Island Warriors Las Vegas Style"

I had the opportunity to meet with the Mr. Nua Agatonu (left-center back photo), Offensive Coordinator for Liberty High School and President of the Island Warriors in Henderson, Nevada.

Mr. Nua related how the name Island Warriors came about.

Nua moved to Las Vegas in 1999 and played arena football in Las Vegas and got together with other Polynesians and with the permission of the arena commissioners created their own Polynesians team and called themselves "Island Warriors".

Then in 2003, they formed the kids division youth tackle football with only 32 players and ended up with their first championship game that first year and gave them the name "Island Warriors" which consist of kids in grades 7-9. In 2004 they ended up with 4 teams, 2005, 6 teams to cover all 6 divisions. They got so big that they had to switch to the NYFL, Nevada Youth Foothball League, because this way the local kids age and weight could serve them better. In 2006 they ended up with 8 teams and over 200 kids and had to break away from the NYFL and move from the middle of the city to Henderson, Nevada and a feeder program into Liberty High School which has become a "local school" as they call it and created 3 teams,

(1) is their Prep Division 2,3 and 4th graders coached by Conrad Waialae (2) is their Elementry Division 5 and 6th graders coached by Samson Nacua and (3) is their Middle School 7 and 8th graders coached by Robert Kaaihui and 3 top 8th graders in the nation were selected to play First All-American Bowl that is made up of the top 8th graders from around the country and they were, Albert Tai, Niko Kapeli and Anu Soloman of the Island Warriors. In 2008, Liberty Middle School football team is the leader in the Southern Nevada Youth season (more photos - select "see more photos - listed under "Events").