High School Football And Ramadan
Thierno Diallo (number 32) stands to the side as his teammates take a water break at practice. - Thierno Diallo (14) number 32 stands to the side as his teammates take a water break on the field at a football practice at Duval High School in Lanham, MD. Diallo has been keeping up with his teammates during the football season without food or water during the day. (Habiba Nosheen / NPR)
Football practice is a grueling rite of passage for many high school boys, but for some Muslim students, thirst and hunger are added to the physical exertion if they decide to fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
Thierno Diallo, 14, plays cornerback for the DuVal High Tigers in Lanham, Md. He's one of a few Muslims on the team, but the only one fasting. He watches the rest of the players take off their helmets and chug on ice cold water bottles between practice sets, but doesn't take a drink himself.
As the smallest member of the team at just 5 feet 3 inches tall and 107 pounds, he's nicknamed "Squirt." Diallo is anxious to show that he has the right stuff. Ramadan or not, it's important that he doesn't show any weakness. "No problem, it doesn't bother me at all," he says, shrugging his shoulders like it's no big deal.
(Habiba Nosheen / NPR)
Coach Chuck Pope keeps a close eye on him, watching to make sure he doesn't become dehydrated during practice.
"A few weeks ago was rough for him, real rough, because we were up in 85-degree weather," Pope says. "Now, you can see the difference because he's coming to the end of his fast, now he's more accustomed to it." He's talking about the "two a days" twice-daily practice sessions that kick off football training — and coincided with the beginning of Ramadan.
There's a lot of debate on whether Muslim athletes should adhere to the dawn-to-dusk fast during Ramadan. There are even Web sites in which Muslim players exchange advice on whether to hide the fact that they're fasting from their coaches. As in Diallo's case, most advise being up front about it.
Many professional Muslim athletes do not fast because their training is so intense. According to the Quran, anyone who is traveling is exempt. That also applies for children, the sick, elderly and pregnant women. For Diallo, this is both the first year for football and the first year of fasting for the entire month.
"I always wanted to play football, but my parents said I had to fast this year because I was getting more mature," he says.
Diallo's ability to fast while keeping up with the intense workouts has impressed his teammates, many of whom eat and drink copiously to maintain the calories and hydration they need for practice.
Helmet in one hand, 15-year-old wide receiver Joshua Jack lists his so far today: breakfast cereal, chips, a burrito for lunch, along with milk, juice and applesauce. He can't imagine being in Diallo's shoes.
"With this training, I don't think I could do that," he says. "I can't go without water — [not] with training like this."
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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
And now a story that comes from one of you. As part of our Friday Night Live series on high school football, weve been asking listeners to send in ideas. One of those ideas takes us to Lanham, Maryland, a suburb outside Washington, D.C. There, Muslim players must endure grueling practice schedules while fasting from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan, which ends this weekend.
NPRs Jamie Tarabay visited DuVal High School.
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TEAM: What?
Unidentified Man: (Unintelligible) on three
TEAM: Okay.
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TEAM: What?
Unidentified Man: One, two, three!
TEAM: Okay.
JAMIE TARABAY: Stopping for a break during practice, the DuVal Tigers hold their helmets high for a cheer. Then they all grab water bottles and start chugging - all of them except Tierno Diallo(ph), the 14-year-old cornerback. Hes one of a couple of Muslims on the team, but hes the only one whos fasting.
Mr. CHUCK POPE(ph) (Coach, DuVal Tigers Football): Two weeks ago was rough for him, real rough, because we was up in 85-degree weather.
TARABAY: Coach Chuck Pope says he keeps an eye on Diallo - who everyone calls Squirt. At 107 pounds and all of 5-foot-3, hes the smallest player on the team.
Mr. POPE: You can see the difference. Now, because hes coming toward the end of his fast, now hes more accustomed to it.
Unidentified Man #2: Ready? Go.
TARABAY: Two-a-days, the twice a day training sessions that mark the beginning of football season, coincided with the beginning of Ramadan. That was rough, Pope says.
Mr. POPE: You can see his skin is dry. But once again, hell just sit down, hell rest for about 15, 20 minutes and hell come right back, coach, Im ready to go.
TARABAY: Coming right back and going hard is what his Diallo wants his coach and teammates to see. Its tough enough being the smallest kid on the team, the last thing he wants is for anyone to think he cant cut it.
Mr. TIERNO DIALLO: No problem. It doesnt bother me at all.
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TARABAY: Theres a lot of debate about Muslim athletes and fasting for Ramadan. On some Internet sites, high school football players exchange advice on whether to hide the fact theyre fasting from their coaches. But most advise them to be upfront about it. Many pro athletes dont fast, since anyone who travels is exempt, according to the Quran. So are children, the sick, elderly and pregnant women.
At 14 years of age, though, Diallo is expected to fast.
Mr. DIALLO: I had always wanted to play football, and my parents told me I had to fast this year because I was getting more mature.
TARABAY: So, his challenge was to try to do both. This is Diallos first year of football and his first year of fasting for the entire month. His teammates say they respect his sacrifice, a sacrifice they doubt they could make themselves.
Mr. JOSHUA JACK: With this training, I dont think I could do that. I cant without water if Im training like this. So, I dont think I can even do that.
TARABAY: Thats Joshua Jack, 15-year-old wide receiver and food lover. Helmet in one hand, he lists everything hed already eaten today: Honey Bunches of Oats, chips, a burrito for lunch, along with milk, juice and applesauce.
(Soundbite of footsteps)
TARABAY: At 5:30 p.m., Diallo still has hours to go. Walking to the classroom to go over plays for tomorrows game, Diallo has a bit of a swagger in his step. Hes almost there - Ramadan is almost over and he survived. Hes still fasting and hes still playing.
Jamie Tarabay, NPR News.
MONTAGNE: And our series on high school football continues later today with a story about another cultural connection - a Polynesian connection. The Haka, a Maori war dance is now part of the Friday night ritual at some schools.
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TEAM: (Foreign language spoken)
MONTAGNE: You can hear players embrace both football and their Polynesian heritage later today on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
(Soundbite of team chanting) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
