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http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2009/10/08/sports/20sports_10-08-09.txt
Fanoga carries on in wake of tragedy
By Robert Gagliardi
[email protected]
Mike Fanoga was immersed in meetings, game plans and preparation.
The University of Wyoming outside linebackers coach was doing what he always does last Tuesday as the Cowboys prepared to play at Florida Atlantic that Saturday.
But later that afternoon, Fanoga received some news from his wife, Soana, about what had happened earlier in the day in his native American Samoa.
An 8.3 magnitude earthquake that generated 15-foot waves killed at least 176 people on the islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.
“It did hit me hard because I have a lot of good friends and relatives out there,” Fanoga said earlier this week.
Fanoga’s father recently traveled to American Samoa to help friends and family and assess the damage.
Fanoga suspects two of those casualties include his grandparents.
“I don’t think my dad wanted to say anything, but I knew in my heart something happened,” he added.
Fanoga also knew that a former player he coached lost his mother in the disaster, and he knows of several other people he knew personally or by name who died.
Being thousands of miles away in Laramie, Fanoga knew there wasn’t much he could do other than send prayers and positive thoughts.
Thankfully, Fanoga had football to occupy his mind.
“It gets me going. It puts you back where you need to be,” he said.
Fanoga said the devastation in his native land hit him hard last Friday night while watching the news from his hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on the eve of the Florida Atlantic game.
“Seeing families in tears and torn apart. Seeing children and the elderly in tears. That really hits you hard,” he said.
But Fanoga didn’t let on how much he was hurting. He didn’t tell any of his fellow coaches, nor his players. He assumed that they saw the same things he did on the news.
Fanoga didn’t want them to lose focus on the task at hand, which was to beat Florida Atlantic.
That showed incredible and selfless strength.
“I can’t say enough great things about coach Fanoga,” senior outside linebacker Weston Johnson said. “He’s all business around football, but if you ever have a problem, you can go talk to him, and he will help you out all he can. He’s just a great guy.”
Perhaps Fanoga could use a dose of his own medicine right about now.
But like last week, this week is all about football for Fanoga as UW tries to win its third straight when it hosts New Mexico on Saturday.
“I’m totally, 100 percent focused,” Fanoga said. “I would really like to get this one. We must get a win this week.”
Winning a football game isn’t as important as the devastation of a natural disaster and the loss of lives.
But it’s amazing how something like football can aid in the healing process of such adversity by providing a much-needed distraction.
Just ask Mike Fanoga.
Robert Gagliardi is the sports editor. Call him at 633-3130, or e-mail him at [email protected].
http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2009/10/08/sports/20sports_10-08-09.txt
Fanoga carries on in wake of tragedy
By Robert Gagliardi
[email protected]
Mike Fanoga was immersed in meetings, game plans and preparation.
The University of Wyoming outside linebackers coach was doing what he always does last Tuesday as the Cowboys prepared to play at Florida Atlantic that Saturday.
But later that afternoon, Fanoga received some news from his wife, Soana, about what had happened earlier in the day in his native American Samoa.
An 8.3 magnitude earthquake that generated 15-foot waves killed at least 176 people on the islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.
“It did hit me hard because I have a lot of good friends and relatives out there,” Fanoga said earlier this week.
Fanoga’s father recently traveled to American Samoa to help friends and family and assess the damage.
Fanoga suspects two of those casualties include his grandparents.
“I don’t think my dad wanted to say anything, but I knew in my heart something happened,” he added.
Fanoga also knew that a former player he coached lost his mother in the disaster, and he knows of several other people he knew personally or by name who died.
Being thousands of miles away in Laramie, Fanoga knew there wasn’t much he could do other than send prayers and positive thoughts.
Thankfully, Fanoga had football to occupy his mind.
“It gets me going. It puts you back where you need to be,” he said.
Fanoga said the devastation in his native land hit him hard last Friday night while watching the news from his hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on the eve of the Florida Atlantic game.
“Seeing families in tears and torn apart. Seeing children and the elderly in tears. That really hits you hard,” he said.
But Fanoga didn’t let on how much he was hurting. He didn’t tell any of his fellow coaches, nor his players. He assumed that they saw the same things he did on the news.
Fanoga didn’t want them to lose focus on the task at hand, which was to beat Florida Atlantic.
That showed incredible and selfless strength.
“I can’t say enough great things about coach Fanoga,” senior outside linebacker Weston Johnson said. “He’s all business around football, but if you ever have a problem, you can go talk to him, and he will help you out all he can. He’s just a great guy.”
Perhaps Fanoga could use a dose of his own medicine right about now.
But like last week, this week is all about football for Fanoga as UW tries to win its third straight when it hosts New Mexico on Saturday.
“I’m totally, 100 percent focused,” Fanoga said. “I would really like to get this one. We must get a win this week.”
Winning a football game isn’t as important as the devastation of a natural disaster and the loss of lives.
But it’s amazing how something like football can aid in the healing process of such adversity by providing a much-needed distraction.
Just ask Mike Fanoga.
Robert Gagliardi is the sports editor. Call him at 633-3130, or e-mail him at [email protected].
