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Hakeem Abdul-Saboor

THE JOURNEY

Hakeem Abdul-Saboor
Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, bobsled

Hakeem developed a passion for competition and speed during his early childhood in East Orange, New Jersey.  As soon as he was old enough, he joined pee wee football and basketball teams and ran track.  He spent his teenage years in Powhatan, VA, where he continued his athletic career playing basketball, football, and track at Powhatan High School.  Hakeem especially became passionate about football and track and field.  As a track and field competitor, he served as the team captain and competed in long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, and was a hurdler and a 100 meter and 200 meter sprinter.  Hakeem was extremely successful with track and field, but football was his passion.  He played multiple positions on offense and played cornerback on defense and led the Powhatan Indians to a career record of 36-3. Although he could have played both track and field and football in college, Hakeem accepted a football scholarship to The University Of Virginia College at Wise to play the running back position. Hakeem's football career ended abruptly during his senior year due to an ACL injury which ended his hopes of pursuing a professional football career.  However, he had an incredibly successful collegiate football career with 2,234 total yards, 31 touchdowns, and currently ranks 5th at UVa-Wise for rushing touchdowns.  Coach Dewey Lusk was Hakeem's Offensive Coach who is now the Head Coach of the UVa-Wise Football Team.  Coach Lusk has coached both football and baseball for 31 years, and he said "Hakeem is probably the best all-around athlete I have ever coached."  He was not surprised when he heard that Hakeem is a USA Bobsled athlete. 

My first thoughts were how good he would be. His speed, strength and athletic ability will make him a great addition to the Bobsled team. One of my favorite moments coaching Hakeem was when I moved him to WR for our next game. Hakeem had been a RB throughout his career at UVa-Wise. Normally, that change in position for an athlete of Hakeem’s caliber would not seem out of place. In fact, it's pretty normal to say the least. However, Hakeem had a cast on his right hand that covered his entire hand with just the top of his fingertips showing coupled with several inches of padding and tape wrapped around the cast. In short, he had one good hand and a club for the other hand. I know everybody was thinking, why is Coach Lusk playing Hakeem at WR with a cast on his hand? Those questions were answered when he went over a defender and made a spectacular, diving touchdown catch in the end zone. Hakeem is capable of excelling at whatever he sets his mind to.  He is that gifted of an athlete!! Best of luck Hakeem.  I am very proud of you and your accomplishments of becoming a USA Bobsled athlete!! Represent UVa-Wise well.

Coach Dewey Lusk, Head Coach at University of Virginia at Wise

Soon after his college career came to an end, he moved to Knoxville, TN, where he became a personal trainer and Speed-Agility-Quickness coach for Performance Training Inc.  Here, Hakeem trained athletes of all ages with a focus on injury prevention.  During a PTI staff workout this past March, Hakeem was recorded showing off his explosiveness by jumping to touch his head to the ceiling.  The video ended up being seen by strength coach Brad DeWeese from the Olympic Training Site at Eastern Tennessee State University. After seeing the video, Coach DeWeese invited Hakeem to compete in the next combine for USA Bobsled.  After earning extraordinary combine results, Coach DeWeese told him that he was meant to become a bobsledder.  This gave him the confidence he needed to quit his job the following week and to devote all of his time and strength into preparing for his rookie season as a bobsled athlete.  

After several months of intensive training, fifteen men were selected to travel to the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York, to attend the Bobsled Preliminary Push Camp.  Hakeem learned about the sport and the mechanics of pushing the bobsled during the week of camp leading up to the Preliminary Push Championships, which was held at the Olympic Training Center.  Hakeem pushed the fastest of the group of men who competed in the Preliminary Push Championships siezing first place by .16 seconds.  BMW sponsored fifteen athletes from this group of men and women to compete in the National Push Championships.  Because of his outstanding results, Hakeem accepted the offer to remain at the OTC to train since this would give him the best opportunity to be successful in the National Push Championships.  The following weeks consisted of intensive training and preparation for the championship.  The Men's National Push Championship athletes consisted of twenty-six extremely talented and extraordinary athletes composed of a combination of both rookies and veterans.  These veterans included 2014-2015 National Team members.  On September 26, Hakeem became the 2015 National Push Champion.  The top push athletes from this competition were then selected by the bobsled drivers to join their teams of push athletes in hopes of creating an ideal team for the 2015 National Team Trials.  After a few weeks of sliding down the icy track in Mt. Van Hoevenberg, National Team condenders competed in the 2015 National Team Trials in hopes of being selected to the 2015-2016 National Team.  Hakeem competed in the 2-man National Team Trials with Olympic Gold Medalist, Steve Holcomb, and placed 2nd which helped him earn his spot on the USA National Team.  This is the first step of many in Hakeem's journey to the 2018 Olympic Games.

 

Learn how you can become an asset to Hakeem's success as a first-year bobsledder by navigating to the "DONATE" section.

Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, bobsled
Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, bobsled
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