The induction ceremony for the inaugural class of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame was held last night in Honolulu. Among the honorees was Navy’s own Ken Niumatalolo, who was enshrined along with other Polynesian luminaries like Junior Seau, Kurt Gouvea, Olin Kreutz, and Kevin Mawae. It’s an extremely impressive list, which comes as no surprise considering the rich history of Polynesians in football. For Coach Niumatalolo to be included in the first-ever class is a real honor, and a testament to how respected he is in the Polynesian community. I had a chance to witness that respect first-hand at the Poinsettia Bowl luncheon in 2007, right after Coach Niumatalolo was named head coach. He had just become the first Samoan head coach in college football history, and every Polynesian player on Utah’s roster wanted their picture taken with him after the event was over. It was a proud moment for this Navy fan to see our coach held in such high esteem.
Coach Niumatalolo wasn’t honored just for being first, though. He was honored because he wins, and does so in a way that gives credit to the school.
Here’s the enshrinement video they played at the ceremony:
The Birddog 
Tears appear. What a wonderful man to lead our Mids.
Nice video tribute. Great milestone for Coach!
We who follow with pride Navy Football are proud and happy for the coach. A real gentleman who makes us feel this way.
He’s the best. A well-deserved honor! Love you Coach Niumatalolo!
Richly deserved. High character. Great example. Great representative of the institution. Gnarly goats alive, are we fortunate to have him.
I concur with all of the foregoing comments. Congrats, Coach Ken! Congrats also to the entire coaching staff, support staff, and especially the team. This is so very special. I’m So happy for you and proud of you all.
KN is indeed a special leader. He is accountable and that accountability is evident in the team. No favorites. All in for brotherhood. Clearly the players deserve credit for their skill and hard work, but our coaches have made it possible, KN, in particular. BZ.
Awesome honor for Coach Ken! Congratulations to a great coach, mentor and leader of Navy’s Football program.
Coach Ken = Great American
I love to watch him work the sideline during games. I hope he stays with the Boat School for a long, long time. Also, thanks to Chet and Paul for setting us up for Ken’s success.