Feature story on Mana Silva

HA Note: "University of Hawai'i football player Keanemana "Mana" Silva is willing to go the distance this semester. About 200 miles each way, as it turns out. Weekdays, Silva attends classes on the Manoa campus and participates in the Warriors' offseason conditioning program. Every Friday evening he travels to his home on the Big Island, where he lives with his wife, Keilah, and their 8-month-old son, Kauahe. He returns to Honolulu Sunday evenings."

About commuting from the Big Island to UH, Silva said:
"It's tough, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." (HA)

HA Note: "Silva has been impressive in conditioning drills this spring. At 6 feet 1 and 205 pounds, Silva, who is competing at safety, has displayed speed and power. Yesterday, he bench pressed 300 pounds."

About benching 300 pounds, Silva said:
"I was kind of disappointed with that. I can do better." (HA)

HA Note: "As a senior quarterback, Silva was the Big Island Interscholastic Federation's Player of the Year in 2005. Kamehameha ran a spread offense. He also lettered in baseball and basketball. Silva joined the Oregon State football team in August 2006. He moved to wide receiver, and redshirted that year."

Silva said that he enjoyed his stay in Corvallis, but:
"I wanted to be closer to my family. I decided to come back." (HA)

HA Note: "He secured a release from Oregon State, then contacted the UH coaches. He also decided to move to safety."

About why he moved to safety, Silva said:
"I felt, maybe, this is the ticket to the field." (HA)

Praising Silva's athletic ability, Mel deLaura said:
"That guy is a stud. He can do a lot of things." (HA)

About his family, Silva said:
"My family is very supportive." (HA)

About his wife Keilah, who he married last July, Silva said:
"We've been together since my sophomore year. "She's my high school sweetheart. We've been together a long time." (HA)

About exchanging wedding vows, Silva said:
"I was crying when I was doing it. It made me really emotional." (HA)

HA Note: "Keilah is in a nursing program at UH-Hilo. Silva, who once aspired to be a doctor, now is considering a career as a nurse practitioner."

About looking to change his career path, Silva said:
"I want to stay in the health field. I want to help people in my community." (HA)

About Silva, his best friend on the team Kenny Estes said:
"He always says positive things. He's grateful for everything." (HA)