Football helped him make friends. Now this player from Bosnia is one of the YAIAA's best

Adem Ahmetovic agrees it seems unusual.

He knows the families of his son's teammates. He skims the rosters of local opponents.

"I don't see any other Bosnian that plays football," Adem said. "And I've checked a lot of teams in this area."

The sport is not a part of his birth country's culture. A soccer player in his youth, Adem didn't know most of the rules of American football until a few years ago.

But the sport has become a massive part of his son's life — a window to friendships and purpose and perhaps college opportunities.

Idriz Ahmetovic is a senior at New Oxford High School. The football and basketball player has been one of the YAIAA's best all-around athletes the past few seasons. This fall, he's been the starting quarterback and catalyst of one of the league's two undefeated teams and the current top seed in District 3 Class 5A.

He certainly looks the part of a star athlete. At 6-feet tall and 180 pounds, he's strong enough to squat 400 pounds and stop ballcarriers in their tracks. He's quick and nimble enough to soar for interceptions or burst past tacklers on the ground.

He's adapted well enough as a passer to throw 14 touchdowns to three interceptions through six games in his first season starting behind center.

"He puts a lot of work in, and he opens up a lot of areas for us with his running," New Oxford receiver Tyler Arigo said earlier this season. "He's really an athlete back there."

In most ways, Ahmetovic is a typical student-athlete. He loves the camaraderie he has with his teammates and embraces the rivalries with neighboring school districts. He's a self-described vocal leader who likes to keep his teammates "hyped and locked in" on the field.

But he's also a first-generation Bosnian immigrant. And sports have had a greater importance to his life than simply wins and losses.

"It made it easier to make friends," he said. "It helped me click with others and like the same stuff."

'I wanted him occupied:' How friendship led to football

Idriz was not quite 4 when his family immigrated to the United States. He doesn't remember much about that time.

Adem, on the other hand, chuckles when asked about it.

"That's a really long story," he said. "It could take a couple hours or a whole day to talk about it."

Adem and his wife, Nizama, met in Bosnia in high school in the early 2000s. She immigrated to the U.S. a few years later but would periodically return to Bosnia to see Adem. After a few years of going "back and forth" that included their marriage and the birth of Idriz, the family fully moved to the U.S. in 2009.

She already had family living in the Gettysburg area who served as their sponsor once they immigrated. They both found work at Utz.

Adem said they acclimated quickly to American culture, but there were obvious differences. Knowing that football was a big deal in the United States, he watched a few games on TV but didn't immediately grasp the sport.

Young Idriz, on the other hand, jumped right in. His best friend, Ben Leese, loved the Baltimore Ravens so Idriz started watching them every Sunday. He started playing in the fourth grade.

"I just wanted him to play a sport," Adem said. "It didn't matter which sport. I just didn't want him hanging on the street. I wanted him occupied. Football was his choice."

From all-around athlete to starting quarterback

Idriz smiled bashfully when asked if he was a natural. "I just tried to compete every day," he said humbly.

Still, it was clear by the time he got to high school that he had a chance to be special. He could run, throw, catch and kick. He got significant playing time all over the field as a sophomore. As a junior, he established himself as one of the league's best defensive backs (seven interceptions) and kickers (19-of-20 on extra points).

New Oxford had a star quarterback in Jett Moore, but Colonials coach Jason Warner said Ahmetovic could have excelled at the position last season if needed.

There wasn't much concern when he took the reins this fall.

"Him and Jett were really neck and neck last year," Warner said at YAIAA media day. "And he put in more work this summer than he probably ever has. The transition has been pretty seamless."

It certainly has been. New Oxford has beaten team by an average score of 33-11 so far this season. Ahmetovic is completing nearly 70% of his passes and averaging three total touchdowns per game while still playing defense.

He sat out last Friday's win over Kennard-Dale with a minor leg injury but is expected to start this Friday against West York, according to Warner.

Just don't try to get him to brag about his success. With New Oxford on the verge of its fifth straight playoff appearance and second consecutive division title, Ahmetovic wants to help the program take the next step.

"Get a playoff win," he said when asked his goal for the season. "Just keep it going."

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Making his family proud

When Idriz first started playing football, Adem would drop him off at practice and come right home.

Now he spends his weeks eagerly waiting for Friday night. He said he's "pretty sure (he's) learned everything" about the sport.

"When you see your son play and he's good ... I just started to be excited and interested," he said. "I really didn't watch anything until his sophomore year. Now I go to every game, and I can't wait for it to start.

"My son is a fighter ... he never gives up."

The Ahmetovic family returns to Bosnia most summers to visit Adem's family. Idriz said his favorite part of those trips are the "nice, hard-working people" and the food — particularly a meat and cheese pie called pita.

While Idriz said he's focused on New Oxford's current season, he does hope to play football in college. He will likely have plenty of interest from PSAC schools and perhaps some small Division I programs.

His parents are excited for their son to get those opportunities. Well, maybe not too excited.

"My wife is going to start crying right now," Adem said with a laugh. "We've never had to leave him, and now we're talking about him going off to college. Yep, she's crying right now."

Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: New Oxford's Idriz Ahmetovic immigrated from Bosnia and is now star QB