Derek Fa’avi (pronounced Fa-ah-vee), has been with the Adams State football program since the Spring of 2016.
Fa’avi’s collegiate association with football began as a walk-on player for the University of Hawaii in 2001. The Ewa Beach, Hawaii, native soon earned a scholarship in his third season with the program and finished his career with several accolades. He would have his most successful season as a Rainbow Warrior in 2003. That year he started and recorded 18 knockdowns; supporting Hawaii in their 54-48 victory over the University of Houston in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Fa’avi would go on to collect a number of awards two years later including multiple recognitions as Player of the Game, Team Captain, and the Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player of the Year award in his final season with Hawaii.
Since his playing days, Fa’avi has been involved with coaching for the past 11 years. He got his start at the beginning of 2008 after accepting the offensive line coaching position for James Campbell High School in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. That winter Fa’avi was also invited to coach the offensive line for the West All-Stars during the Hawaii Union Builders All-Star Game; a championship prep game that features top seniors from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. The following year he would earn a similar honor in the Hawaii/Poly vs Mainland All-Star Game as part of the staff of the victorious Mainland unit.
Most recently Fa’avi travelled east finding a job wearing multiple hats for the Nojima Sagamihara Rise organization in the Japan X-League. For the Rise, Fa’avi functioned as a player, coach, and recruiter. But working triple duty for the Rise wasn’t enough. Fa’avi also split time in his final two years by lending his coaching experience to nearby Keio University.
Derek resides in Alamosa with his wife Veronica and their daughter Pa'iau-Joy.
