A life involved in athletics that included competing for the Fijian national track team, taught sophomore Errol Qaqa, to never give up, an attitude he said has stuck with him to help him overcome life’s challenges. Being rejected from both BYU–Hawaii and the national team did not stop him from eventually fulfilling his dreams to attend school and compete for his nation. “When I didn’t make the Fijian national [track] team, I had people telling me to reconsider what I was doing, and even my family told me that I should maybe [try] something else. This taught me to push through things and never give up,” said Qaqa, who is majoring in exercise and sports science from Fiji. Qaqa, who won medals and holds records for his country in hurdles, said his never-giveup attitude brought him to BYUH. “I applied here several times and was rejected. It wasn’t until my fourth attempt that I actually made it in. I knew how it felt to be rejected, but I learned through sports to never give up.” Knowing Qaqa since childhood, Elenoa Tupua, a senior social work major from Fiji, said, “We went to the same primary school and high school. [We] are from the same ward back home. I see him as a hardworking, goal-getter who always has a positive attitude in all he does. He is someone who believes in himself.” Making the Fijian national track team Coming from a family of 11 children, Qaqa said his family was always involved with sports. “My dad represented Fiji in rugby and my older brother went to BYU in Provo on a rugby scholarship. Sports was something I grew up doing. “My main sports were high jump and basketball, but after transferring to Liahona High School in Tonga, I picked up hurdles because hurdles was not available at the high school level in Fiji.” Upon completion of high school, Qaqa returned to Fiji and tried out for the Fiji national team. He said he tried out for the Fijian team the first time and did not make it, and then tried again years later and still did not make it. Qaqa recalled his experience of not making the team. He said, “Maybe there’s something holding me back? Maybe there’s something else
Above: Qaqa jumping a hurdle. Graphics by Brad Carbine
I should be doing? That something was serving a mission. I had been putting that on hold to pursue athletics, but after not making the team several times, I decided to go on my mission.” Despite not training for his entire mission, Qaqa remarked, “My mission taught me a lot
about life, to accept things, and it helped me to grow and return more mature. I came back a different person and I think that helped me a lot. It’s all about priorities. If you put the Lord first, he will help you and that’s what happened to me.” NEW STUDENT ISSUE
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