Two Merced-area football players hoping USFL opportunity leads to another shot in the NFL
Frank Ginda was sitting at his desk ordering takeout food for him and other employees from Chipotle when his phone starting blowing up with text messages from friends.
“Congratulations!”
“Let’s go!”
“Here we go!”
Ginda had no clue what they were talking about.
Then he got a phone call from former longtime NFL coach Jeff Fisher.
“Are you excited or what?” Fisher asked.
“Excited for what? Who is this?” Ginda asked.
Fisher then introduced himself and explained that Ginda had just been drafted by the Michigan Panthers in the United States Football League draft.
Ginda, who graduated from Pacheco High in 2014, hadn’t played football in two years, since the XFL shut down operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.
Ginda has been working for over a year in a corporate job as a regional management trainee for a roofing company in Sacramento.
Fisher told Ginda, 24, he needed to ask his boss for a leave of absence.
“I’m hyped up,” Ginda said. “At first I wasn’t, but now that it’s come to fruition, I’m ready to go. I’m excited to be back. It’s God’s way of saying, ‘Kid, you’re not done yet.’”
Ginda was one of two players with Merced-area ties to be selected in the USFL draft this past week. Kamilo Tongamoa was drafted by the New Orleans Breakers. Tongamoa was an All-American at Merced College in 2016 before playing two years at Iowa State.
“I’m truly blessed,” Tongamoa said. “I thank God for the opportunity. I’m really excited and ready to go. Hopefully the next stop will be the big league.”
Ginda led the Mountain West with 173 tackles his junior year at San Jose State in 2017. He had training camp looks by the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints in the NFL.
He’s played in alternative leagues like the Alliance of American Football and the XFL.
“I’ve played in two alternate leagues,” Ginda said. “I understand the business.”
Ginda told himself if he ever got another shot to play football he’d run with the opportunity and that’s what he’s doing. His boss has granted him a 120-day leave of absence to pursue this opportunity to play in the USFL.
Tongamoa got a look from Washington during mini camp in the NFL after finishing at Iowa State. He played two years in the Professional spring Football League with the Austin Generals.
Since then he’s worked as a volunteer coach at Iowa State, in a pasta factory in Iowa, security jobs and is currently working as an electrician in Los Banos.
“When I was a volunteer coach at Iowa State — being around it — I missed that team atmosphere,” Tongamoa said. “I missed the hitting. I missed waking up to practice.”
The USFL will be comprised of eight teams and will begin play on April 16. Training camp begins on March 21.
Ginda says he’s kept himself in good shape, going to the gym six days a week. Ginda says he’ll begin training seven days a week, working out 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. before work and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. after work.
“I have four weeks to get ready,” he said. “That’ll be easy for me. I’ll be ready to go. I’ve played football my whole life.”
Tongamoa says he’ll train with his brother every day after work.
“I’m in shape, but I’m not in football shape,” Tongamoa said. “It’s different when you put on that helmet and pads.”
Both players hope this opportunity leads to bigger things.
“I look at it as if God is giving me more shot,” Ginda said. “Maybe I can get my foot back into the NFL.”
