Kurdish high school quarterback is inspiring Nashville's Muslim kids

At age 5, Shivan Abdullah's football career got off to a painful start. "That first day of practice, the helmet was hurting my head, so I started crying," Abdullah said, laughing. The boy, encouraged by his three older brothers, kept going to practice − and it only took one game to change his attitude. "My first-ever game, I scored three touchdowns," he said, beaming, "and since then, I loved football." 

Abdullah, 17, is now a fan favorite and a triple threat for the 9-1 Cane Ridge Ravens: The senior is the starting quarterback, kicker and punter. He'll lead the Ravens in Friday night's playoff game against Gallatin. And he'll do so as, likely, the first starting Kurdish high school quarterback in the Nashville area, according to several longtime area administrators and a coach. 

First or not, Abdullah has amassed a fan base among Kurds and others in Nashville's growing Muslim population. He has nearly 2,000 Instagram followers, and Abdullah said he regularly hears from younger Muslim athletes in Nashville. "He has made a huge impact on that community," Cane Ridge Head Coach Eddie Woods said. "I’ve never seen this happen," Woods said, "and I’ve been around fooball around here my whole life. It’s really wonderful." 

Abdullah's parents, Jemila and Mossa Hadi, came to America from Iraqi Kurdistan more than 20 years ago after Mossa Hadi, along with other Kurdish fighters, fought to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Abdullah said. After a brief stay in North Dakota, the Hadis relocated to Nashville, one of a handful of U.S. government-sanctioned relocation centers for Kurdish people. About 15,000 Kurds live here now, making it the largest community of ethnic Kurds in America. 

There have been several Kurdish football players at three or four Nashville high schools, but none as successful at leading a team as Abdullah, who often references his faith on social media. "Every time I get a chance, I try to go to a mosque, and yeah, I love to eat at House of Kabob," Abdulla said. "I love my culture, and for the younger people in my community, I take so much pride in being a role model for them." 

Abdullah's parents said, with their son translating from Kurdish to English, they are thrilled their youngest includes his faith as part of his public interactions. "We are really proud of him; he’s made our family proud and most importantly making a big impact on the Kurdish community and getting us out there," they said. 

by Brad Schmitt