The Power of the Haka

Originally Published: Oct 1, 2010 10:2 AM CDTIt wasn&rsquo;t your everyday occurrence.&#160; Thursday morning, in the parking lot at a Stillwater hospital, a large

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 1:27 pm

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Oct 1, 2010 10:2 AM CDT

It wasn’t your everyday occurrence.  Thursday morning, in the parking lot at a Stillwater hospital, a large man was doing a native dance.  It was OSU linebacker Tolu Moala, getting fired up for the game with Texas A&M by performing a “haka,” a traditional Maori tribal dance.But why the parking lot at the hospital?  Moala’s daughter had been hospitalized.  Her voice box hasn’t yet fully developed, and that can lead to problems.  Moala says doctors tell him and his wife their daughter will be fine once she gets between 18 months to 2 years of age, but on Wednesday night there was concern.On Thursday night Moala was pressed into extensive action thanks to an early injury to OSU starter Justin Gent.  While team doctors and trainers hid Gent’s helmet from him to help keep him on the sidelines while his head cleared, Moala began making plays.  He finished with 8 tackles and a couple of quarterback pressures in the Cowboys 38-35 win.  Not bad for a player who was initially thought to be lost for the season with a knee injury.  Just like his pregame ritual, Moala’s college journey has been unique.  He’ll be 26 later this year.  Originally he signed with BYU before ending up at a California junior college.  Injuries kept him from contributing to the Cowboys early last season, but he stayed committed to the program and made strides later in 2009.During OSU’s media day back in August, Moala told me he would do a haka in private, in a bathroom before games because he hadn’t made major contributions to the team and didn’t want to distract his teammates.  He said he played Thursday for his family, for his daughter in the hospital and his wife, but also for his OSU family.  After his performance, Moala can “haka” wherever and whenever he wants.