ORLANDO, Fla. — The solitary cry sliced through the quiet that had enveloped the practice fields on the UCF campus Wednesday afternoon. The call to arms drew a response from the more than 100 former college football players in attendance, sending them into a cascade of rhythmic stomping and slapping.
All eyes were forward as the players participated in a traditional haka, a ceremonial dance used in many Polynesian cultures to prepare warriors for battle.
While the Hawaiian Islands may be 4,700 miles away from Central Florida, that didn’t stop the organizers of the Hula Bowl — an annual collegiate all-star game — from sharing a little piece of home with those players participating in Saturday’s game at the Bounce House Stadium.
