Haverford School wrestler Kwaku Adubofour is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The junior finished fourth at the PAISAA State Wrestling Tournament last winter, qualifying for Nationals, and is off to a 4-1 start this season, including a second-place finish at 285 pounds at the Pope John Paul Invitational and a hard-earned victory against Glen Mills in the Fords’ home opener. A three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, track), Adubofour is co-president of the school’s Black Student Union and co-president of Haverford School’s Service Board; played Kiil in Enemy of the People in the school’s fall play; sings tenor/baritone in the Glee Club; and is a member of the student diversity leadership team. He would like to become a neurosurgeon.
Q: What sparked your initial interest in wrestling?
A: When I was a freshman, I thought that my height would be enough to get me on the freshmen basketball team. I wanted to play three sports to get the Iron Man award as a senior. When I was cut from the basketball team, I had to decide between winter track, wrestling, or just giving up on the dream. I had seen the wrestlers do their absurd-looking workouts so I was leaning towards winter track. On the day after I was cut, I was about to take the school bus home when I saw my friend Tyler McDonald walking to the locker room with his wrestling shoes in his hand and I asked him where he was going. He told me he wrestled and convinced me to try it. I loved the pride that came along with knowing I completed a wrestling practice. Knowing that I was doing something many people would quit 10 minutes in, gave me sense of pride and confidence I never felt before.
Q: What was your most memorable match at States last winter? What was working particularly well for you in that match?
A: My most memorable match at States was last year in the quarterfinals. I was taken down, but escaped and was down one in the third period. As my opponent’s stamina fell apart, so did his stance. I was able to the hit a shot in the last 40 seconds and ride him out to win the match and qualify for Nationals.
Q: You mentioned that your best match of your Haverford School was the come-from-behind 3-2 win against Glen Mills in this season’s home opener. Tell us a little about that match.
A: I was down two points after my opponent scored after defending my shot. I escaped before the period ended, escaped again in second period, and rode him out in the third. In the first overtime, my opponent and I both failed to get a takedown. In the second and third overtime periods, we both escaped when we were down, keeping the match tied. It ended with me escaping in the ultimate tiebreaker to win the match. It was our home opener and we had a lot of people there to watch which made the ending of the match even more exciting.
Q: What do you consider your biggest strength on the mat and what you are working on most currently?
A: I think my biggest strength is my stamina because of how hard our coaches push us during practice. Currently I’m trying to find my favorite shot again. Recently I’ve been relying on my stamina to win matches in the third period or overtime, but I feel like if can start getting more takedowns and points earlier in matches, I’ll end matches earlier and do really well this season.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-match preparation the day of a match.
A: Before matches I try to get a good sweat going by moving around in my stance and practicing the shots I hope to hit during the match. Then I cool down a little by thinking about my strategy heading into the match, say a prayer, then bounce around on my toes till it’s match time.
Q: Who have been your most important wrestling mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: My most important mentors have been Coach [Jesse] Sataloff, Chris Kober (Haverford School Class of 2017, currently wrestles at Campbell University), and Chase McCollum (Haverford School Class of 2018, currently wrestles at F&M). Coach Sataloff helped me learn almost all of the technique I know and helped me understand the potential I had, which is why I stuck with wrestling. Chris Kober was our 220-pounder when I was a freshman. As a 182-pounder back then, I spent some of that season’s practices wrestling with him. He taught me how to wrestle athletically and aggressively while being a heavier guy, which proved to be vital to me now that I’m a heavyweight. Chase was one of our captains last year. Although I only ever wrestled with him in practice when I was a freshman, watching his matches for the two years I was on the team with him taught me to keep battling regardless of the spot I find myself in.
Q: What do you think you might want to major in at college? Is there a particular career path that interests you?
A: I would love to major in Integrative Biology or Neuroscience because I want to be a neurosurgeon one day. I’ve always had a lot of interest in biology and the way the human brain works.
Fun facts – Kwaku Adubofour
Favorite book: The True Life of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.
Favorite author: John Green.
Favorite TV show: The Boondocks.
Favorite movie: The Breakfast Club.
Favorite athlete: Malcolm Jenkins.
Favorite pre-meet pump-up song: BILLY by 6ix9ine.
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite place to visit: Center City, Philadelphia.
Favorite pre-meet meal: Wawa Buffalo Style chicken wrap and water.
Person I most admire: “Drake – his music connects with me and although we come from very different situations, I find myself relating to virtually all of the sentiments he conveys in his music. I’ve listened to his entire discography so whatever mood I find myself, I can pick one of his songs to match it or get me out of it. And even though he’s a celebrity, I’ve listened to so much of his music, sometimes it feels like I actually know him.”
Family members: parents Michael (pharmacist) and Joyce (LPN), sister Akosua (sophomore at Harvard University).
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
