For this research, I employed a qualitative research design using a critical paradigm to explore the racialized experiences of current and former Polynesian college football players at a university in the Intermountain West region of the United States. Participants were identified using a purposeful sampling technique. I specifically sought to examine how participants experienced structural racialization and its impact on participants' academic success, career development, and postcollegiate planning for an athletic livelihood. Moreover, I sought to understand the role of mana in Polynesian college football players' experiences. Data were collected using the Pacific qualitative method of talanoa, which provided culturally nuanced, deep, and meaningful data. Furthermore, a demographic questionnaire was used to collect background information from the participants, which provided contextual information. Data were subjected to a thematic analysis process in which KanakaCrit and its tenets provided accurate themes that answered the research questions and provided implications aligned with the goals of this research. Themes derived from the data suggest that participants experienced social and institutional racialization influencing their pathways to higher education. Some themes suggest that participants experienced racialization in their academic experiences, impacting their success in academia and beyond. Lastly, other themes indicate that mana played a critical role in participants' self-determination, self-efficacy, and cultural pride. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]