August 11, 2005
Hesston College soccer coach
Arnie Sharp reports that Emanuel Batu, son of assistant coach Neri
Batu, has arrived on campus ready to study and play soccer.
"Neri and I have worked hard
to make it possible for Emanuel to study at Hesston," Sharp said.
"At one point it seemed like a distant dream and now that dream
is a reality. With international players you're never 100 percent
sure that they'll be playing for you in the fall. Anything can trip
things up, like getting a visa."
But Emanuel arrived in Hesston
from Brazil last week, so Sharp can breathe easy. "This will
be a great opportunity for him and a great addition to our soccer
team," Sharp said. "Emanuel promises to be an outstanding
talent on the field. He'll probably play center midfielder or forward,
but we have time to figure that out."
"I’ve had the chance
to talk with him face to face this past week and he is outgoing and
enthusiastic," Sharp said. "He’ll be a great addition
to the college in general.
"This year’s team has
lots of potential," Sharp concluded. "Now it’s just
a matter of putting all the pieces together."
Emanuel Batu and his father, Neri
Batu, are from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Neri's wife, Vera, still lives
there. This is the second season Neri is serving as assistant soccer
coach at Hesston College. He is an employee of AGCO in Hesston.