Want a challenge? Try to correctly pronounce Andrew Dremlyuga’s last name. But be warned: Many people have tried and failed miserably.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a substitute teacher that has got it right,” said Dremlyuga (pronounced Drem-loo-guh), who often goes by the nickname A.D.
After moving at age 9 from Ukraine to the United States with his family, he learned English mainly by interacting with kids in sports and during recess. The first word he learned was “Hi.”
These days the talkative senior is a track team captain who has no trouble expressing himself. Coming to America allowed him to meet a wide variety of people he said he wouldn’t have encountered in the Ukraine.
“I’ve definitely enjoyed it,” Dremlyuga said. “It’s been a whole cultural experience.”
Coach’s corner
Besides having an outgoing, animated personality, Dremlyuga is a versatile athlete, Kamiak track coach Paul Kirkpatrick said. Dremlyuga competes in the triple jump and high jump. This season he’s also trying the javelin for the first time and might do the 400-meter run.
“It makes life a whole lot easier because you can fill in the holes,” Kirkpatrick said of the 6-foot-4 Dremlyuga’s varied abilities.
It’s fun to have lots of choices, Dremlyuga said: “That’s definitely one thing I like about track. There’s so many different events you can try.”
Leader of the pack
Leading comes naturally for Dremlyuga, a third-year track participant whose personal-best mark in the triple jump is 39 feet, 5 inches. “I’m not one of those shy people,” he said. “I like talking. I’m a friendly person.”
True competitors
Dremlyuga’s favorite pro athlete is Gilbert Arenas, a guard for the NBA’s Washington Wizards. After watching a profile of Arenas on TV, Dremlyuga was inspired by the former University of Arizona star’s dedication. “He’s a competitive person, and I kind of see that in me,” said Dremlyuga.
Pizza time
For a home-cooked meal, nothing beats Mom’s mashed potatoes and chicken, Dremlyuga said. But he also loves pizza: “That’s something we did not have in the Ukraine. I came over here and pizza was completely new to me. It tasted amazing.”
Fantastic voyage
If he could travel anywhere, Dremlyuga would visit the Bahamas or Mexico, “where I can just relax and see a totally new culture.” Plus, the warm weather would be a nice change, he said.
Sell, sell, sell
The marketing class at Kamiak is one of Dremlyuga’s favorite. He enjoys learning about advertising strategies and plans to study business in college, probably at Gonzaga University.
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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