Taking 27 credit hours and spending at five hours a day as afootball athletic trainer, Tony Kemmochi has his work cut out forhim.
Kemmochi is taking the 27 credit hours to insure he graduates inDecember.
"My student visa would expire in mid spring," he said. Kemmochicame to the United States from his home country of Japan to attendcollege.
"In my country, athletic training is not really a big thing," hesaid. "That's one of the reasons I came over here."
Kemmochi decided he wanted to become an athletic trainer whilehe was an athlete in high school.
"I was kind of famous for being injured," he said. Kemmochi saidmost of his injuries were preventable, but a trainer was notprovided.
Kemmochi had to give up on his athletic career due to hismultiple injuries. He said he did not want others to have to giveup their athletics, so he decided training would be something hewould want to do.
Kemmochi chose Ball State after a random online search. The Website said the athletic training program was among the top in thenation, so he thought it would be a good place to go. He hadconsidered a private school in New York, but he decided it was tooexpensive.
When Kemmochi first came to the United States, he know littleEnglish. He orginally planned to come mostly to study English, buthis father told him he would not make it like that. For the firsteight months, he said "everyday was a challenge."
"My reason to learn English was no longer just to study, but tosurvive," he said. "Under such circumstance with no life line, Ithink we discover our true potential."
"Sometimes you should just jump off a cliff instead of worryinghow high the cliff might be," Kemmochi said. He said he now can seehis father had more faith in him went he sent him to the UnitedStates than he had in himself. "He pushed me off the cliff likelion did to its son, and I thank him for it now."
With so many classes to tackle and football training on theside, Kemmochi has remained in good spirits.
"I'm doing this for myself," he said.
He was skeptical at first, but has found with time management,he can handle the load.
"You just need to stay on your toes and work as much as youcan," he said. "That's how I do it."
Kemmochi deals with stress by living according to hisphilosophy: "Expect the least, get the most."
He said his philosophy is "a healthy attitude to have and is thekey to a life with less stress."
A typical day for Kemmochi begins when he wakes up at 6 a.m. towork on homework for an hour. He then eats breakfast and preparesfor classes which begin at 8 a.m. After a day of classes, he is offto the practice field as a trainer for the football team. Afterfive to six hours working as a trainer, on some days, Kemmochi hasto go back to night classes. When classes and athletic training isover for the day, he has a few hours to get things done before hegoes to bed at midnight.
Kemmochi class load includes two online nursing classes thatallow him to do his work when he has time and allows him to workahead.
"This is the first time to want to work on assignments," hesaid. "Feels weird."
Other classes include anatomy, clinical aspects of sportsmedicine, swimming and a design class. He is also in swimming andtumbling so he can keep in shape while taking care of some of hiscredit hours.
"I think you can do many things you don't think you can."
"I think it is good to challenge yourself."
Despite Kemmochi's busy schedule, he does not skip any of hisclasses. "If skip class, I don't think I can make it through."
Kemmochi's approach to his classes is that he focuses in classto save time. He said he does not take notes, but instead justlistens, because by taking notes it distracts from what is beingsaid. Using this method, Kemmochi said he does not have to study asmuch before exams.
When Kemmochi tells others about his 27 credit hours, peopleusually tell him he is crazy. "People are surprised," he said,"especially my athletes." The athletes are particularly surprisedbecause they see how much time he puts into being a trainer, hesaid.
In the past, Kemmochi said he he like so many people would findhimself saying that he was bored, but that no longer is the case."I feel right now I am using my time for better things," he said."It's more satisfying and fulfilling."
Emily Dean, senior athletic training major, has known Kemmochifor three years. They have been trainers together for the footballteam.
"We spend so much time on athletic training it's amazing he hastime to get his work done," she said.
When Dean first heard about Kemmochi's workload she said shethought he was kind of crazy, but said he believes he can handleit.
"He can definitely handle that load because he is dedicated,"she said.
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