Bahati Ulwenya '16 Recruiting Profile

My name is Bahati and I grew up in Seattle, I was very shy as a child and kept to myself, discovering things on my own. As I grew up, I began to open up to a lot of people and even began to reconnect with people from earlier times of my life, mostly due to sports. When looking at myself I saw "a person" going through a transformation, I went from that kid who loved to be alone and play video games to joining sports teams. I've been known by everyone around me as a physically dominant person. When it came to somebody needing help through a means of physical strength i was the one to turn to. I decided the best place for me to take this gift was to the field. At the end of my high school's football season during my freshmen year I decided I wanted to join the team, the coach had already been quite acquainted with me from simply seeing me around school a lot, I was the type of person which everyone including the coach would just look at and say, "Somebody needs to give that kid a helmet and pads and then put him on a field!" Afterward the coach had approached me and asked if I was interested in playing football next year and I fondly replied "yes" , I didn't know what I was getting myself into although after nearly a year of rigorous training I was ecstatic by the beginning of my Sophomore year of high school where I then had my first game. After my first season ended I didn't feel ready to prepare for the next season. I began to doubt playing football for the rest of my high school career and by summer I had decided I was not going to participate in the upcoming season. My coach spoke with me before the season began about how I should rethink my choice and that I shouldn't make quick conclusions although he then offered that if I ever want to come back I'd always be welcome to. I came to a decision that I would take junior year off from football, I focused on my other priorities, my academics, then my other sports such as wrestling and track/field. After my junior year I felt like something was missing I felt sad, my grades had dropped, I wasn't getting along with people, that was when I realized that i had regretted my decision and so I decided to rejoin the football team my senior year. Sadly right before my junior year ended my coach was suspended and later fired an was accused of illegal recruiting, the entire team especially my incoming senior class was devastated and so the freshmen coach that had coached the kids in my class my freshmen year before I had played had stepped up as he head coach, he then promised us we would fight for our old coach and make the best out of the upcoming season. Once the Season had begun everyone was surprised to see what we accomplished, The Bishop Blanchet Braves had defeated O'Dea High school for the first time in the last 22 years and finished with an 11-2 season which was ended by Bellevue High school in the 3A State Semi-Finals in the Tacoma Dome leaving us with 3rd place in state. After such an experience was truly thankful to my former coach for inspiring me and my new coach for helping me gain this accomplishment. This experience has transformed me and always reminds me to think twice before making decisions.