Fua Chabot Football's Tower of Power

Juggling work, school and sports is never easy for a community college athlete, but Chabot offensive lineman Timo Fua has proven to be a tower of strength and determination.

Fua, who is 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, is poised to move up quickly in college play with his combination of size and athletic ability. His physical dimensions are comparable to those fans see on NFL offensive lines or in major college football.

He gets character points, too, for his dedication in the classroom.

“He’s a really good kid, committed,” Chabot football coach Eric Fanene said of the tackle out of Mission High in San Francisco. “He’s one of those kids, with the covid pandemic, who had to get a job and work but he never missed a workout since we’ve been back.”

In 2019, Fua played in half of Chabot’s games as a converted offensive lineman after competing on the D-line in high school. He has a big upside, and a backup plan.

“My goal is to get offered to a big school, like a D-I or a D-II, and then go to a professional league,” Fua says. “If I don’t make it to the professionals, then I’d probably start my own business in engineering and working with kids.”

During a complicated time for sports with the Covid-19 pandemic, players have had to make numerous adjustments, large and small, as they pursue their goals. But not all the news is bad.

“I think the Covid (situation) might have helped him a little bit because he gained a semester in academics to be able to move forward this spring,” Fanene says of Fua. “He might not play for us after this spring season, if there is a spring season, because he’s a high commodity with his size and the position that he plays. That kid is so athletic and he’s a hard, hard worker, a good player for us.”

Fua has adjusted well to online learning during the shutdown, but he's missed the camaraderie of being on the field with his fellow Gladiators.

“Football wise, it’s been kind of a struggle because I barely see any other teammates and we’ve barely been together,” he says.

He’s worked hard to master the tackle position.

“It’s a work in progress right now,” he says. “The first time I played it, it was kind of iffy because I barely knew what to do and where to go, but I started learning more and more about it and I got it down.”

Fua is not only big physically, he’s also part of a big family of eight, with his four sisters, one brother and two parents. His favorite player growing up was legendary Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu, a college and pro football hall of fame inductee.

Fanene and the staff have high hopes for Fua. His package could prove tough to beat.
“He can move. He’s super athletic for his size. Condition wise and speed wise, he’s an outstanding athlete,” Fanene says. “He’s actually been crushing it in the classroom. He’s been doing a good job, he’s been doing better with that. That will be his ticket."