BOWIE, Md. - Each week, Bowie State University Department of Athletics will spotlight one student-athlete or administrator in wake of COVID-19 pandemic that forced CIAA to suspend fall competition until the spring of 2021. This week's spotlight will feature Koby Willis—a standout cross country runner—from Alamogordo, New Mexico.
 
Willis didn't partake in cross-country until his sophomore year at Bowie State University, a
place that's nearly 2,000 miles away from his hometown of New Mexico. In high school—where
he attended Annandale High his freshman and sophomore year before transferring to Alamogordi
High his junior and senior year, Willis participated in track and football. He did sprints and
hurdles for track, and contributed to the football team as a defensive end, outside linebacker and
middle linebacker.
 
"In high school, I was just a hurdler," Willis said. "I had never done cross-country. I wanted to
do it, but I played football in high school. And since those sports are during the same season, I
couldn't do both."
 
Willis says he enjoys cross-country and track much more than football. Don't get me wrong; he
enjoyed his time playing football in high school, but he never carried the same passion for the
game the way most football players do. However, when it comes to track, it's a different story.
Asked why Willis enjoys cross-country so much, he said for many reasons: The family
orientations he feels he has with his teammates. The joy of running alongside his teammates.
And the competition the sport entails with everyone racing against time and each other.
 
"Those runs are long," Willis. Said. "It's not like a 100 meters, 400 meters….they're several
miles. But when I'm running with my guys, it's just all worth it.
 
In an interview with Bowie State University athletic department, Willis discussed his journey to
Bowie State, the adversity he's faced regarding the global Covid-19 pandemic and his personal
health, and much more.
 
How hard has dealing with pandemic been for you, especially being an athlete?
I would say personally, for me, it's been pretty difficult. I don't know about other athletes, but I
know I just had a heart procedure done. I was actually out for the season before the pandemic,
and then into the season, I'm still out because of the heart condition. I just had a procedure to get
my condition fixed or mediated, I guess, is what the word would be.
 
When did you get your heart procedure?
I got my heart procedure this past October, but I've had my condition since March. So, I've been
out since March, when the spring season was set to start.
 
Did it affect your performance?
Yeah. It's called atrial fibrillation, which is when your heart doesn't beat right. I'm still able to do
physical activity, but I can't perform to the best of my ability because it puts a lot of extra stress
on my heart.
 
 
Are you better now after getting the procedure?
Yeah, I'm in better shape now, but I still haven't been able to do any physical activity for about
six months.
 
What would you say is the most difficult thing about your sport?
I'd say the most challenging thing about cross-country, if you're inexperienced like I was, you
underestimate it. You think, "Oh, it's just a couple of miles. This is going to be a breeze. I can do
that." But these guys are running really fast in these miles; it's not a jog. They're sprinting three,
five, six miles. And when you get on the line, they sprint out the gate; you're like, "Dang, I
wasn't even ready for all this." That kind of throws you off.
 
Because I'm a hurdler, I think what's also tricky is just getting over the hurdles sometimes. You
get used to your knee smacking the hurdle a couple of times. You fall down a couple of times. It
hurts. But once you get over the fear of falling over the hurdle or hitting the hurdle during the
middle of the competition, you'll be fine.
 
What are the tools needed to succeed in cross-country?
I think it's about being in shape, but it's also about having mental toughness. Because your body
will only take you so far, but if you have good mental strength, that will push you even further.
You have to be in shape; you have to be conditioned to run those miles.
 
But you also have to be mentally strong because there's going to be a point where your body is
just going to stop and say, "I don't want to run this anymore." Your calves are going to burn.
Your thighs are going to burn. Your feet are going to hurt. That's when the mental toughness
kicks in. You're like, "Okay, I just gotta keep going." You have to block out all that so that you
can cross the finish line.
 
Why did you choose to attend Bowie State?
It's actually really funny. Since I'm from New Mexico like I said, I planned to attend New
Mexico State University, but my parents were moving back to the DMV, and my step-mom was
like, "Oh, maybe you should go to a school where we live, so we'd be close. You'd have some
family around." And I was like, "Okay, well, I don't know any schools in Maryland or Virginia."
And she said, "Well, there's a school called Bowie." And I'm like, "I've never even heard of
Bowie. I don't know what this is." She was like, "Yeah, they have a track team. I talked to the
track coach. She would love for you to come and check out the school." And I was just like,
"Okay."
 
I applied late, but because of Coach Lat, I was able to get in on time. I took a 29-hour drive from
New Mexico to Bowie, Maryland. And here we are today.
 
Were you given a scholarship or did you have to walk-in?
I decided to walk on. I went to school in New Mexico. I'm not from the DMV. So I wasn't really
expecting any offers or anything like that. I just know I like track and was pretty decent in high
school. So, I might as well see if I can walk on.
 
 
Did you eventually earn a scholarship?
I was on the path to getting a scholarship and then I had to sit out because of my heart issue.
 
Were you frustrated?
Yeah, I was pretty frustrated. I was disappointed and heartbroken, too. I was probably in the best
condition physically since I started doing the sport. And then for the doctor to be like, "Yeah,
you're done. Until you get this fixed, you're done. We don't want you to run." I was like, "Dang,
this would've been a good season for me". I still went to the practice to watch my teammate's
workout. But when you can't run or compete with your friends, you just sit on the sidelines and
think like, "Dang, this really sucks."
 
Did any positives come out of it? Did you learn anything while you've been out and
sidelined?
I learned patience. I would say that I realized that life just happens, and scary things can happen
unexpectedly. But everything happens for a reason. You have to go through it and come out
better.
 
How excited are you that graduation is approaching?
I'm pretty excited. It's been a long time coming. It actually came up on me faster than what I
thought it would come up, but it'll be nice. I have had a good four years at Bowie. Bowie's been
good to me. I've had many experiences, been through a lot, gone through a lot, but I know once I
get my degree, I know it will all be worth it.
 
What are you looking to do after college as a social work major?
Right now, I'm currently looking at some grad schools to apply to. Maybe Delaware State,
Walden, UMD, schools like that. After grad school, I'll be a social worker for a couple of years
and then probably go back to school to become a teacher. My real passion is to help and teach
people. I want to utilize what I learned from my social work degree and implement that into the
education system.
 
Are you considering Bowie State for graduate school?
Yes, but Bowie State currently doesn't offer a master's in social work. If they did, I would just go
to Bowie. It wouldn't even be a question. I would only apply to grad school here, and I wouldn't
be stressing. But I don't think they'll get that until several years after I'm gone.
 
What makes you so passionate about social work and teaching?
I would say my passion for social work, it's not like psychology or counseling, where you tell me
how you feel, we talk about it, and figure something out. With social work, I'm giving you the
tools to make your own life better. Since I've been in school, something we always talk about in
social work is self-determination. That's basically where your client will have the wherewithal to
do what they want to do, whether you like it or not. At the end of the day, that person will do
what they want to do, but I want to give you the skills so you can do it yourself.
 
I'm not going to hold your hand, walk you the whole way through and be like, Hey, but if you do
this, this will happen, and it'll be better for you. So, let's try to do it this way. So then, when I'm
gone, you can utilize the skills that I've given you, and then your life will be so much better.
And it's like a thankless act. I don't need to be thanked. I don't need to hear, "Oh, you're the best.
You're cool." No, just the fact that you were here and now you're somewhere else living a better
life, that's all, I'm good. And then I keep it pushing.
 
With teaching, I've always been somebody who has tutored people by teaching them new stuff
and materials. Sometimes with education, it's not just about what you learn, it's about how you
impact the students when they're learning--that really makes the difference. So, I want to teach
kids, especially English or Math, because those are the challenging subjects that can instill some
wisdom into them. And when they leave high school, they're impacted into college or whatever
they want to do in their adult lives.
 
Final Question: How do you want your legacy to be at Bowie State?
I just want my legacy to be around the social work department because that's where I'm really at.
And then even on the track. I'm not going to say, "I was the best athlete," but I feel like I had a
pretty good relationship with many people on the team. So I want to be remembered a little bit
like, "Hey, when I was down, Koby helped me out." "When I got that Charlie horse, Koby
helped me out." Stuff like that.
 
All in all, I want my legacy to be "Koby was a hard-working athlete, a friend, and just somebody
that, if you're down or if you need something, that he was always there to help. Even if he
couldn't provide anything, even just a shoulder or just an ear, he was always there." That's how I
want to be remembered.