Psalm Wooching is used to being on the big stage. During the college football season, the 2012 Kealakehe graduate is playing in front of tens of thousands of fans, sporting the purple and gold of the University of Washington.
But the stage he found himself on earlier this month was a little different. Wooching wasn’t wearing pads and showed up to Husky Stadium sans his patented eye black that is usually smeared down his face. Instead of playing four quarters, the only thing he cared about was a single handoff — one that was the culmination of four years of hard work. Wooching was about to graduate.
“It was crazy,” Wooching said, recounting the commencement ceremony. “I’m the first of my family to graduate, so to step up on that stage after four years of hard work was very gratifying.”
He credits his parents — Luki and Shannon — for always stressing academics, and his coaches for perpetuating that message.
“You might have a dream to play football at the next level, but if you don’t do good in school, you will never be able to accomplish that,” the anthropology major said. “The people close to me instilled that in me.”
The ride is far from over for Wooching on the gridiron though. Having redshirted, he still has a year of eligibility left for what will be the most important season of his football career.
The road so far
Wooching is quick to answer when asked why he chose Washington.
“To win championships,” he said with a grin.
But even Wooching will admit, the road to get where he is at now has been tough. However, one of the key attributes he possesses is an indomitable will to get where he wants to be — a good characteristic for an outside linebacker.
Wooching — who played running back almost exclusively at Kealakehe — initially committed to UCLA out of Kealakehe, but ultimately decided to be a fullback in then coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense at Washington. He started there his redshirt freshman year, but didn’t see a future at the position.
“The fullback position — especially in college — is kind of dying out,” Wooching said.
He also had to deal with a head coaching change when Sarkisian abruptly decided to leave the Huskies to become the skipper at USC after the 2013 season.
“It was a shock, but he said he made the move for his family,” Wooching said. “Can’t hold that against him.”
Chris Petersen, of Boise State fame, took over for Sarkisian and was on the same page with Wooching to make a move to the defensive side of the ball. He dabbled on the defensive line and contributed on special teams, but eventually found a home at linebacker.
Outside of a few snaps in high school, he had never played linebacker, but played rugby growing up and for Washington’s club team. It helped make the transition an easy one.
“I can’t even describe how much rugby has helped. It gave me a huge advantage,” Wooching said.
Wooching recorded 23 total tackles last season, including 4.5 for a loss and two sacks. He has been tapped as the starting strong side linebacker for the upcoming season, but more importantly, he finally seems to have a stranglehold on some stability.
Rooted in culture
Wooching has a passion for his Samoan and Polynesian culture, which he wears on his sleeve —literally, with tattoos on his body that celebrate his heritage.
That respect for his own culture is part of what led him to major in anthropology, with a focus on medical anthropology.
“Coming from such a diverse, culture-rich state like Hawaii, it really got my attention,” Wooching said. “Culture does not seem as embraced on the mainland as it is in Hawaii. When I was learning about all the different cultures, it felt almost like home.”
It also became a way he could relate with some of his teammates. Danny Shelton — a first round pick of the Browns in 2015 who celebrated his Samoan culture by wearing a lava-lava at the draft — and Hau’oli Kikaha — a second round pick of the Saints and Kahuku grad— are both former teammates of Wooching.
“Those are guys I try to talk to constantly,” he said. “My goal is to get where they are.”
Wooching hopes to be that kind of role model for the kids back on the Big Island, where he knows the temptation exists to take the easy route and live a laid-back lifestyle.
“The advice I would give is to put in the hard work when you can,” he said. “In the islands, it is so easy to say, ‘Hey, it’s a sunny day, I got my board in the back, lets go to the beach. I got practice at 4, but there’s always another day.’ It’s so easy to get lazy. There is the 100 percent worker, and the 110 percent worker. If sports are your dream, you have to be the 110 percent guy. You need to make sure you are doing that extra work, because someone else is.”
Fire and desire
Wooching’s high school coach Sam Kekuaokalani has a story he thinks sums up his former star.
The team was doing a drill where players had to finish in a specific time. Wooching didn’t make it, and promptly walked up the stairs and started pounding on an oversized tire.
“I remember he looked at me and said, ‘Coach, I’ll do it again — and I’ll make it,’” Kekuaokalani said.
He did.
“I’ll never forget that. It helped me to see how much he wanted it. I saw the fire and desire and that he was going to do whatever he needed to do to succeed.”
Kekuaokalani, who is still the Kealakehe head coach, uses former Waveriders, like Wooching, as examples for his current players.
“He was so deliberate and intentional with all the steps he took to get where he’s at,” Kekuaokalani said. “He focused on the moment, and never got lost looking towards the future. He was always ready for the opportunity in front of him.”
What Wooching has in front of him now is a season laden with expectations. Many are bullish on the Huskies to make some noise in the Pac-12 after losing six games in each of coach Petersen’s first two seasons.
“These few past years, we have had a lot of talent, but not the chemistry we needed. This year, I think that’s where we excel,” Wooching said. “We call ourselves the Death Row on defense — the baddest guys out there. We all trust each other like brothers.”
Personally, the goal for Wooching is to make it to the NFL. He will work towards his masters this year and has a few internships lined up, but will have a little more time to focus on football.
“It’s on my mind every day. That’s my dream,” he said. “When I go to sleep, that’s what I’m thinking.”
