Meet Emmanuel Bofa

Whitworth Cadre Four
'10 Communication Major
Emerald Ridge High School '06

Life in the Track Lane

It’s an uninvitingly cold fall morning in the dorm halls of Whitworth University. At 6:45 a.m., most students are fast asleep. Eman Bofa, however, is getting ready for his morning run with his cross country team. Eman’s schedule does not let up throughout the day. After finishing morning classes, he exercises midday to complete his two-a-days. Six days a week, for almost an entire academic year, Eman devotes himself to a rigorous regiment. “It’s definitely rough but you get used to it,” Eman said. “It does catch up to you being really tired once Sunday hits.” Summers aren’t very different. Eman trains four days a week, competing one day out of the week. With track and field season running until the end of summer, Eman then trains for cross country in the fall. “It’s a never ending process,” he said.

Practice Makes Champions

Eman ran to first place in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field 800-meter dash – the second Whitworth male athlete to win an NCAA title. And based on the latest NCAA Division III top times list, Bofa currently ranks third in the nation at the 800, according to a 2008 Whitworth news release. Despite all these accomplishments, Eman is taking all of this in stride. “I understand it’s a big accomplishment and something to be proud of, but I don’t really take any of the credit,” Eman said. “For all of this to be accomplished, so many other things had to take place and 99 percent of those things were out of my control.” Eman said he doesn’t really consider himself a runner because this year has only been this third in running. “I would really be a fool to raise myself high and mighty,” Eman said. “I just feel blessed and feel thankful for being able to accomplish something of this stature.” Eman was considered to run with Ghana’s Olympic team in 2008 but due to communication problems between him and Ghana, he will not be participating with them. “I was kind of looking forward to the opportunity but I’m really not ready to be competing at that level,” Eman said.

Eman, The Patchwork

Born in Los Angeles, Calif. and raised in Sacramento, Eman said he did not grow up in idyllic neighborhoods for kids. But one of the benefits he said the communities had was diversity. “I grew up with all different kinds of people with all kinds of ethnicities,” Eman said. “I remember [the multi-ethnic interaction] being really cool growing up.” Having moved around seven to eight times, Eman said it was rough trying to start again and having to make new friends. Eman eventually moved to Puyallup with his mother and three sisters, a place unlike the communities he grew up in. “Community was a big change,” Eman said. “Going from a very ethnic community to a very non-ethnic community (sic).” Growing up in diverse – and not diverse – communities has allowed Eman to engage in many different social groups. “What makes me, me, is everything I’ve been through and everything I’ve seen,” Eman said. “I feel like I’m just a patchwork of different neighborhoods, different ethnicities and different mindsets that’s all under my faith driven by God,” Eman said.

Investing In The Future

People are born into different circumstances and in this world, education rules whether you’re born into a wealthy family or not, Eman said. After graduation, Eman said he’d love to go back to his community in Sacramento and possibly start a gym or activities center similar to the YMCA where kids are safe from the streets. “I really feel like the kids I grew up with didn’t have a chance and I honestly don’t know why God helped me out and gave me a chance, but he did, so I feel I can go back and help,” Eman said.

By YONG KIM
6/27/08

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