Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 3, 1 March 2018 — Smith-Schuster: Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Smith-Schuster: Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year

PĀ'ANI SP0RT

Submitted by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver JuJu SmithSchuster has been named the 2017 recipient of the Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year Award presented by Hawaiian Airlines. The Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year Award recognizes the most outstanding professional football player of Polynesian ancestry. Arizona Cardinals Offensive Guard Mike Iupati was selected as the inaugural recipient in 2015 and Tennessee Titans Quarterback Marcus Mariota was selected as the recipient in 2016. The 6-foot 2-ineh, 2 1 5-pound, SmithSchuster was bom in Long Beach, California and is of Samoan ancestry.

He is in his rookie season out of the University of Southem California. This year, Smith-Schuster helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 13-3 regular season record. He finished the season with 58 catches for 917 yards and seven touchdowns, and added 240 yards and a touchdown on nine kiek returns. He became the

youngest player in NFL history to amass 1,000 all-purpose yards in a season and set a Steelers franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie. JuJu earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 8 and AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 17. "On behalf of the Polynesian Foot-

ball Hall of Fame Board of Directors, we congratulate JuJu on a historic season," said Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Chainnan Jesse Sapolu. "He truly represents the very best of our Polynesian culture." Smith-Schuster was honored at a celebration dinner on Jan. 19 and was also recognized at the Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 20 oh O'ahu, where he served as an ambassador for this year's game, The Polynesian Pro Football

Player of the Year Award was voted on by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame selection sommittee eomposed of coaches Dick Tomey (chairman), Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil, past NFLPA president and inaugural inductee Kevin Mawae, former NFL player and class of 2015 inductee Ray Schoenke, ESPN sportscaster Neil Everett, NFL Network writer and commentator Steve Wyche, and Honolulu sportscaster Robert Kekaula. ■

The Polynesian Hall of Fame posted video of JuJu Smitfi-Schuster at goo.gl/RuJZiV. - lmage: Youīube