In the midst of graduation season on the Big Island, high school seniors are preparing to leave for college or begin their work careers. But Kealakehe football alum Joseph Morua is embarking on a different adventure early next month.
Morua will be joining the United States Marine Corps in San Diego, Calif., for 13-week recruit training. After completion, Morua will undergo combat training at Camp Pendleton, followed by 20-week occupational training for military police and corrections in Fort Leonard, Mo.
While Morua is unsure of where he will be stationed after completing military school, while having lived in both California and Hawaii, he hopes wherever he goes won’t be “somewhere too cold.”
“I am very excited to start my journey through life,” Morua, who comes from a military family, said. “I’m not too nervous, because this is something I’ve been looking forward to ever since I was little. I want to earn the title ‘Marine’ and keep the family tradition alive.”
While the desire to serve his country was always in the back of his mind, Morua’s dream was reinforced after he moved to the Big Island from northern California in the summer of 2023, and elected to join Kealakehe’s football program. Playing for the Waveriders as an offensive lineman, Morua learned the importance of teamwork, brotherhood and sacrifice, which are core military principles.
“In my first day at Kealakehe’s offseason football program, they were all so welcoming,” Morua explained. “The welcoming coaches and players made me feel a part of the family. Sharing the practice and game field with my teammates was my most memorable experience here. My teammates taught me teamwork, perseverance and resilience. Win or lose, we all stuck together side by side and held our heads up high throughout this journey.”
The life lessons learned behind the scenes in practice translated to the actual games for Morua, as the lineman was named to the prestigious All-BIIF First Team for Division I in 2024 — being the only Waverider to be selected.
“Football helped me make a solid decision on what career I chose after high school,” he said. “I wanted to be something bigger than myself, and learn what it means to work as a team.”
Morua also credited Kealakehe’s football program for helping him get in the proper physical shape for military training.
“In my junior year at Kealakehe, I weighed 260 pounds,” Morua said. “The Marine Corps has strict weight standards, so I knew that I needed to lose weight to sign up. The workouts and conditioning in football helped me go from 260 to 190 pounds in less than a year.
“The teamwork that was demonstrated throughout my two seasons (at Kealakehe) will play a huge role in my Marine career, where I will constantly work with others in a team environment.”
Morua wants to stay in the military for four-to-eight years before returning to either Hawaii or California to become a community police officer. While his time on the Big Island was short, Morua will never forget the lasting relationships and experiences he had.
“My short time here has taught me how to make friends in new places, integrate new customs and cultures and appreciate what life has to offer. Wherever the Marine Corps takes me, I will use all of the life lessons I learned while living on the Big Island.”
Morua also had no shortage of people to thank for helping him get to this point in life.
“I would like to thank my parents and sister, who have supported me emotionally, mentally, financially and physically for 18 years,” he said. “And all of my football coaches, wrestling, track and judo coaches — who helped me become the best player and person I could be.
“A special thanks to my football teammates who accepted me into their brotherhood, and all of my friends who have offered me guidance and inspiration.”
