[ ARENA FOOTBALL ]
Joe Siofele, right, tangled in Islanders practice at Saint Louis School this week with teammate Joe Correia.
Siofele hits heights
despite tragedyNew Islanders lineman almost didn't
finish up what turned out to be a stellar
collegiate career
When Joe Siofele left Oahu bound for Arizona in the summer of 2002, he carried with him the sorrow of having lost a brother.
When he returned home last winter, he came back with a college diploma and a greater sense of perspective.
"It was hard and painful in the beginning, but I realized that everything happens for a reason," Siofele said. "It just motivates me to strive for the best.
arenafootball2
Who: Louisville Fire vs. Hawaiian IslandersWhen: Tomorrow, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Blaisdell Arena
TV: None
Radio: Live, KUMU 1500-AM
Internet: hawaiianislanders.com
Tickets: Lower bowl (reserved) $25, upper bowl sideline (reserved) $15, upper bowl end zone (general admission) $10, youth (17 and under) $7, handicapped $10.
Parking: $5.
"He's my motivation and my strength. Every time I do something I think about him and ask him to watch over me and guide me."
It's been two years since John Siofele died in a car accident in Nanakuli. Over that time, Joe Siofele found refuge in football. He continues to draw inspiration from his brother's memory as a member of the Hawaiian Islanders.
Siofele joined the Islanders in midseason after a four-year career at the University of Arizona in which he endured the pain of John's death as a junior and battled through a tumultuous senior season.
Siofele was in Arizona preparing for his junior year when John, then 18, died on July 15, 2002. As the family dealt with the devastating loss, Joe felt compelled to stay in Hawaii rather than head back to Tucson, Ariz.
"I wanted to stay home, support my mom and dad, help out with my family," Siofele said. "Everyone was taking it hard and I just didn't want to go back.
"But both of my parents kept pushing me, telling me to stay in Arizona and finish up there. They said once you start something you finish it."
Siofele went on to lead the Wildcats with 5.5 sacks while playing defensive end. He moved to inside linebacker for his senior year and was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention selection after finishing second on the team with 84 total tackles.
But the Wildcats struggled as a team and head coach John Mackovic was fired in September. The rest of the staff followed after a 2-10 season and the upheaval left the Arizona seniors without a support system as they sought opportunities in the professional ranks.
"We were in a bad situation, we had nobody really pulling for us," Siofele said. "I really didn't expect much, I just wanted to get on a team any way I could."
He kept in shape by participating in conditioning drills with the Islanders in the spring and signed a free-agent deal with the Cincinnati Bengals after going undrafted.
But his stay in Cincinnati was brief and he returned home after being cut during mini-camp.
"I had a good experience up there, but it's a numbers game," Siofele said. "It's a business and things didn't work out."
He began practicing with the Islanders in earnest last month and has played on the line in the team's last three games.
Although Siofele is a relative newcomer to the Islanders, he was already a familiar face to many of the players and coaches when he officially joined the squad on June 17. Siofele is one of eight Saint Louis School graduates now playing for the Islanders, who are led by former Crusaders head coach Cal Lee.
Siofele gives the Islanders a quality speed rusher at defensive end and the coaches are convinced he will find his way back to an NFL squad, either as a linebacker or a long snapper.
"He's got the skills, the speed, the quickness and the power," Islanders defensive coordinator Doug Semones said. "He's a big plus for us. We feel lucky that we have him."
Siofele's addition to the Islanders roster also gave him an opportunity to play with his brother-in-law, fellow lineman Tiki Sagapolutele.
"I was ecstatic, but I wanted more for him," said Sagapolutele, who has been married to Siofele's sister, Tema, for 10 years. "It's a steppingstone for him. I try to tell him that your goals are still to play in the NFL, so don't ever lose focus on what you're trying to achieve."
Siofele achieved his academic goal last December as he graduated with a degree in political science. Along with the knowledge gleaned in the classroom and the lessons learned on the field, Siofele also left Arizona with a new outlook.
"I took a step back and tried to appreciate life more," Siofele said. "Anything can happen at any given time. It makes you appreciate life more and makes you slow down and think about what you do before you do it."
