#88SSY Check-Ins: Martin Iosefo, Seattle Seawolves
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The Seattle Sports Star of the Year Awards, hosted by the Seattle Sports Commission, are the place to be for all things Seattle sports and their accomplishments on and off the field of play. Whether that be professionally or collegiately, the awards show features the biggest athletes, media, and sports personality to grace the Pacific Northwest from the past, the present, and the future. Converge Media and Circling Seattle Sports were on site at the Westin Downtown Seattle to get the sights and sounds of the night, including six sit-downs with athletes from differing teams, and a separate sit down with a mascot. The third one features Seattle Seawolves Wing, Martin Iosefo, a key veteran of the Seattle rugby franchise and member of Team USA rugby that actually presented an award at this event!
Seattle Seawolves Wing Martin Iosefo and Circling Seattle Sports lead editor Charles Hamaker at the Seattle Sports Star of the Year awards (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Iosefo, who was born in Samoa but grew up in Hawai’i, initially was going to pursue a career in American football when he tried to walk on to the University of Montana team. That didn’t work out, and thankfully it didn’t, as Iosefo is now a pivotal member of the Seattle Seawolves team that is pursuing a third MLR Shield. Iosefo is a two-time Olympian, and while he already has “retired” from international play, he plans to make a push for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
“It’s been really fun. I was just telling one of your cameramen, I’m just in my second year here in his event, finally getting to know some people here. Just getting familiar with the event, seeing some familiar faces has been really fun and just catching up, having a time off from training and competing, and trying to enjoy the time together.”
“Last year, I know I met Tyler of the Seahawks. So that was pretty cool. The one that was really exciting to me and was like all in shock for was the the young girl from Uganda. I hope I’m not mistaken. But she was like 12, or maybe she was a teenager. She was on the hockey team (referring to Maealie Glanzer, Women’s Pro Hockey Seattle Youth spokesperson) I was really excited to meet her. I took a picture with her, her mom got in the way and told her like, oh, like you have to ask me for permission. So, I did. I was just like, super excited to meet her. But that whole experience last year with her was awesome. And I hope she’s doing great. And, you know, I’m looking forward to meeting some more. Her again, hopefully, and some other Seattle athletes.”