2005 CIF Champions (11-3)
Sione Fua chooses Stanford
By Ramona Shelburne, Columnist
Feb 2, 2006, 9:23am

They've had months to decide, to weigh the pros and cons, and envision the next chapter of their lives.
Still, for three of the top high school football players in the area, it came down to the wire Wednesday night on national signing day. They consulted with parents, coaches and friends. They visualized. They prayed. One even fasted.

Because for these three - Crespi of Encino defensive lineman Sione Fua, Taft of Woodland Hills wide receiver Jamere Holland and Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks quarterback Garrett Green - this wasn't just a choice of what color uniform they'd be wearing next fall. It was the most adult decision of their lives.

For Fua, the recruiting process helped him reaffirm his religious beliefs and values. Before the recruiting process began, Fua thought he'd go to the best football school possible. By Wednesday night, he realized he could only go to a program that would allow him to take a Mormon mission.

Green had to decide between the most prestigious academic institution in the country - Harvard - and two of the best football programs in the nation, USC and UCLA.

Holland was all set to follow his friend and former teammate Josh Portis to Florida, but had to find his own path when Portis unexpectedly transferred to Maryland last month.

In the end, all of them followed their hearts, their guts and their heads. Here's a look inside each of their decisions, in their own words:

Sione Fua, DL, Crespi Finalists: Stanford, Oregon, BYU

College choice: Stanford

Going into this, I didn't think it would be this hard. I thought I'd wake up one day and I'd just know where I'd want to go.

I really thought that I would choose the best football school possible. Like if USC offered me, I'm going to USC. But when I really looked at it, I realized there were a lot of other things that go into it.

USC recruited me hard, and they wanted to offer me a scholarship, but they said they couldn't offer it if I was going to go on my mission.

My mission has always been an important thing for me. But through the recruiting process, it's become more important. I loved USC. The coaches were great. But I had to stick with my values and morals that I'd always had my whole life.

That is what makes me who I am. In the Mormon church, we aren't allowed to smoke or drink or have sex before marriage. There are people that will try to get me to try those things, but there are also people who praise me for having the strength to resist those things.

It's not hard for me to resist, because I've been doing it my whole life. It's part of who I am.

After USC was out, my college decision came down to three main things: academics, football and the spiritual side.

Stanford had the best of everything. I really think they are a program on the rise. There is a good Mormon community there and you can't find better academics.

When I thought about which school I'd like to be at, if I wasn't playing football, it was Stanford. Said his father, George Fua:

I was really proud of him. He was going to go on a trip there last weekend, but that would've meant he missed his wrestling meet. So he said, `Dad, I have a commitment to my team.' So he called USC himself to tell them how important his mission was to him and that he didn't want to waste their time or his.

But it was still a hard decision for him. The other day, he decided to fast. And then we decided to fast as a family with him. Fasting humbles you and allows you to focus more. I'm very proud of the decision he's made.


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