Temple University Athletics
LB Amara Kamara
Amara Kamara: Following in his Grandfather’s Footsteps
11.1.10 | Football
Gameday Program Feature Story
by Cathy Bongiovi, Athletic Communications
Amara Kamara has only been on American soil for 11 years. Born in the Western African nation of Liberia, his family moved to neighboring Guinea when he was only a few months old. It wasn't until he was 11 years old that his father moved the family to Newark, N.J.
Growing up in Guinea is very different than growing up in the United States.
“I had a lot of freedom,” Kamara recalled. “I wasn't involved with a lot of activities. School ended at noon, and the rest of the day was to hang out with my friends and my cousins. In our free time we went out to play soccer. That was the biggest sport there. And I would hang out with my grandfather.”
His grandfather, Amara Kamara, helped raise young Amara while his father was working in America before sending for the family. The father of 26 children himself, the elder Kamara was a revered business man and farmer who took his grandson under his wing.
“I pretty much saw the kind of person he was-- well-respected in his time,” Kamara said. “Everybody honored the kind of man that he was. I just followed him, saw was he did, and what he was capable of.
We had a lot of acres of land. I farmed with him. I just followed in his footsteps.”
Kamara's father moved to New Jersey in 1996, leaving his family behind for the time being.
“He just moved for a good opportunity. Especially during the 1990s there was a window of opportunity to make a better life for himself and for his family.”
After his grandfather passed away and his father was settled, Kamara and his family-- five sisters and two brothers-- arrived in the United States, a whole different world.
“Actually I didn't start speaking English until I got here,” the well-spoken Kamara said. “I didn't even know my A-B-Cs. I was 11 years old. I had heard broken English in Liberia. I didn't hear real English until I got here.”
And he needed special help to survive in school. Enrolled in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program, Kamara used his fluency in five other languages to learn English.
“I had to go to summer school,” he said. “I went to summer school every year through middle school and high school for that special help.”
Then came his introduction to American football.
“When we first got here, my father said I was going to play football, but I just looked at him and said, 'That's a sport I don't see myself playing',” Kamara recalled. “After school I'd just go home and sit in front of the tv and hang out with my cousins. I just got tired of doing nothing. Luckily a football team was practicing right across the street from my middle school. One day I just walked over there by myself and told the coach I wanted to try out. I didn't even know how to put my equipment on. Someone had to assist me with putting my equipment on and off. From there, that was it.”
Now, 11 years later, Kamara is a four-year starter at linebacker for the Temple Owls. The only true freshman to start every game in 2007, Kamara was a highly touted player out of high school. Named the Newark Star-Ledger's State Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, Kamara continues to thrive on the gridiron.
But his accomplishments off the field have garnered him greater acclaim. One of 11 FBS football players in the nation to be named to the prestigious AFCA Good Works Team this fall, Kamara leads the Owls in service to the community.
A third-team All-MAC honoree last season while helping the Owls to the co-MAC East championship, Kamara received the Athletic Department's 2010 Temple Teammates Award, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the area of community service, inspiring others to engage in similar selfless civic endeavors for the purpose of improving the quality of life for those in the local community.
“Amara is an inspiration to his teammates and coaches and is an excellent role model for young people,” said Ryan McNamee, Director of Player Development. “He does such an admirable job balancing football, school work, and community service. He is great with people, especially in his interactions with the younger kids (at the youth football camps). His positive energy and passion for life are infectious and are great qualities to possess. He will be a success in life no matter what career path he chooses to follow.”
Kamara is also a four-year member of football's Unity Council which serves as the leadership and the voice of the team.
“Amara has been the quintessential role model for our program and has set the standard for which all players should follow,” head coach Al Golden said.
“I worked a lot of community service events especially during the spring,” Kamara said. “I can't really say which one I liked the most. Just going back to my grandfather, even though he didn't have a lot, he was always there for his people, for someone that needed help. By going to the (football) camps in the summertime, it really made me realize I could be doing the same thing that my grandfather was doing, by going out and teaching young kids the positive and negative effects of sports on your life.”
“I just keep telling the kids that it's not all about football, but football can take you so far if you let it. School is very important to me,” he continued. “I had to stay back three times back in Africa, because I chose not to go to school. I didn't really like going to school. Now it's my ticket to the future.”
When Kamara graduates next spring, the communications major wants to continue to give back.
“I'm also a business minor, so my whole thought is to go back home (to Guinea) to start my own business. At the same time, I'll be in the United States doing what I can, broadcasting, whatever I can do to help me raise money to help the city of Newark, not just Africa, Philly, whatever I can do and where ever I can find help,” Kamara said. “Most importantly, I want to be able to go back home and provide opportunity for kids I know. I know a lot of good kids out there. They don't get the opportunity like a lot of people out here.”
Just following in his grandfather's footsteps. His grandfather would be so proud.
Amara Kamara has only been on American soil for 11 years. Born in the Western African nation of Liberia, his family moved to neighboring Guinea when he was only a few months old. It wasn't until he was 11 years old that his father moved the family to Newark, N.J.
Growing up in Guinea is very different than growing up in the United States.
“I had a lot of freedom,” Kamara recalled. “I wasn't involved with a lot of activities. School ended at noon, and the rest of the day was to hang out with my friends and my cousins. In our free time we went out to play soccer. That was the biggest sport there. And I would hang out with my grandfather.”
His grandfather, Amara Kamara, helped raise young Amara while his father was working in America before sending for the family. The father of 26 children himself, the elder Kamara was a revered business man and farmer who took his grandson under his wing.
“I pretty much saw the kind of person he was-- well-respected in his time,” Kamara said. “Everybody honored the kind of man that he was. I just followed him, saw was he did, and what he was capable of.
We had a lot of acres of land. I farmed with him. I just followed in his footsteps.”
Kamara's father moved to New Jersey in 1996, leaving his family behind for the time being.
“He just moved for a good opportunity. Especially during the 1990s there was a window of opportunity to make a better life for himself and for his family.”
After his grandfather passed away and his father was settled, Kamara and his family-- five sisters and two brothers-- arrived in the United States, a whole different world.
“Actually I didn't start speaking English until I got here,” the well-spoken Kamara said. “I didn't even know my A-B-Cs. I was 11 years old. I had heard broken English in Liberia. I didn't hear real English until I got here.”
And he needed special help to survive in school. Enrolled in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program, Kamara used his fluency in five other languages to learn English.
“I had to go to summer school,” he said. “I went to summer school every year through middle school and high school for that special help.”
Then came his introduction to American football.
“When we first got here, my father said I was going to play football, but I just looked at him and said, 'That's a sport I don't see myself playing',” Kamara recalled. “After school I'd just go home and sit in front of the tv and hang out with my cousins. I just got tired of doing nothing. Luckily a football team was practicing right across the street from my middle school. One day I just walked over there by myself and told the coach I wanted to try out. I didn't even know how to put my equipment on. Someone had to assist me with putting my equipment on and off. From there, that was it.”
Now, 11 years later, Kamara is a four-year starter at linebacker for the Temple Owls. The only true freshman to start every game in 2007, Kamara was a highly touted player out of high school. Named the Newark Star-Ledger's State Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, Kamara continues to thrive on the gridiron.
But his accomplishments off the field have garnered him greater acclaim. One of 11 FBS football players in the nation to be named to the prestigious AFCA Good Works Team this fall, Kamara leads the Owls in service to the community.
A third-team All-MAC honoree last season while helping the Owls to the co-MAC East championship, Kamara received the Athletic Department's 2010 Temple Teammates Award, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the area of community service, inspiring others to engage in similar selfless civic endeavors for the purpose of improving the quality of life for those in the local community.
“Amara is an inspiration to his teammates and coaches and is an excellent role model for young people,” said Ryan McNamee, Director of Player Development. “He does such an admirable job balancing football, school work, and community service. He is great with people, especially in his interactions with the younger kids (at the youth football camps). His positive energy and passion for life are infectious and are great qualities to possess. He will be a success in life no matter what career path he chooses to follow.”
Kamara is also a four-year member of football's Unity Council which serves as the leadership and the voice of the team.
“Amara has been the quintessential role model for our program and has set the standard for which all players should follow,” head coach Al Golden said.
“I worked a lot of community service events especially during the spring,” Kamara said. “I can't really say which one I liked the most. Just going back to my grandfather, even though he didn't have a lot, he was always there for his people, for someone that needed help. By going to the (football) camps in the summertime, it really made me realize I could be doing the same thing that my grandfather was doing, by going out and teaching young kids the positive and negative effects of sports on your life.”
“I just keep telling the kids that it's not all about football, but football can take you so far if you let it. School is very important to me,” he continued. “I had to stay back three times back in Africa, because I chose not to go to school. I didn't really like going to school. Now it's my ticket to the future.”
When Kamara graduates next spring, the communications major wants to continue to give back.
“I'm also a business minor, so my whole thought is to go back home (to Guinea) to start my own business. At the same time, I'll be in the United States doing what I can, broadcasting, whatever I can do to help me raise money to help the city of Newark, not just Africa, Philly, whatever I can do and where ever I can find help,” Kamara said. “Most importantly, I want to be able to go back home and provide opportunity for kids I know. I know a lot of good kids out there. They don't get the opportunity like a lot of people out here.”
Just following in his grandfather's footsteps. His grandfather would be so proud.
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