UH cornerback making name for himself

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

In every movie, it seems, there is one oh-so-familiar character whose identity is not known until the final credits.

On the University of Hawai'i football team, that character is cornerback Abraham Elimimian.

Elimimian (pronounced El-la-mim-ee-an) is the stumper in word association, a player who is here and there but not anywhere in instant recognition.

"I was working hard in practice and nothing happens," said Elimimian, a redshirt freshman. "It was practice and go to the locker room. It was another day. Nobody notices you."

He was frustrated at his position on the depth chart, frustrated about life. Elimimian then turned to his father, Isaac.

"I told him to have patience," Isaac Elimimian recalled. "I told him that things won't be good for you every day, but to have faith."

Then he told his son to read Psalms 37:4 ("Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.")

"Every morning I read the verse," Elimimian said. "Sometimes I would recite it in my head. It was my desire to be the best cornerback I could be."

Perhaps the best example was the one Isaac Elimimian had set. He was born and raised in Iruekpen, a village in Nigeria's midwest. His father was chief priest in the Iyayi church.

When missionaries arrived in the village in the mid-1930s, Isaac's father was asked to embrace Christianity. He declined, but agreed to allow his children to attend missionary schools. Isaac, who was born Irabor Elimimian, thrived as a student and athlete.

Soon after his graduation from formal school, Isaac was offered a job as a teacher, the one stipulation being that his father change his religion. Again, his father refused. As a compromise, it was agreed that Isaac would be hired as a teacher if he took on a Christian name.

Isaac earned a bachelor's degree, married and raised six children, each with Biblical names. In 1989, he decided to accept a teaching fellowship in the United States.

After a year, Isaac decided to remain in this country, believing it would offer greater opportunities for his children. Isaac then called his parents. "It was sad and happy," Isaac recalled. "They said they would miss me as one of their favorite children. They were happy I would pass on the good name of the family."

Isaac set a goal of "blending Western education with African culture. I knew it would take time."

He earned a master's degree and then a doctorate in education. He was hired as an English professor at California Poly State University at San Luis Obispo. Four of his books were published, including "The Encyclopedia of World Literature," and 40 of his articles have appeared in journals.

These were the rewards of patience and perseverance.

As a high school senior in Los Angeles, where his family relocated following his father's retirement, Abraham Elimimian suffered a severe knee injury. Oregon State and Washington State withdrew scholarship offers.

Elimimian's high school coach, Doe Henderson, a former UH standout, called UH associate head coach George Lumpkin. After reviewing videotapes, UH coach June Jones promised to offer Elimimian a scholarship if one became available.

That night, Elimimian recalled, "I prayed to God, 'Please, if you give me a scholarship ...' then the phone rang. My dad said it was Coach Jones. He said he was offering me a scholarship."

After redshirting last year, Elimimian visited his family after the spring semester, then returned to Hawai'i July 1. Elimimian worked out every day, sometimes lifting weights alone Saturday mornings. Still, he could not break into the rotation until last week, when he was told that he might start against Southern Methodist.

"He has a lot of confidence," said Rich Miano, who coaches the defensive backs.

Elimimian played well in a 38-31 victory, intercepting a pass and breaking up SMU's final pass in overtime. "My dad was right," he said. "Hard work pays off."

Still, not everything has worked out perfectly. "It's funny to see yourself on the news and nobody can pronounce your last name," he said, laughing.