At age 10, Pinkston senior Pinya Issa fled the war-torn country of Sudan with his family and settled in Dallas. When Issa was a seventh-grader, his middle school teacher, Pinkston coach Don James, introduced him to track. Issa went on to become the Dallas ISD's first four-time district cross country champion and won four consecutive district titles in the 1,600 meters in track. He qualified for the 4A state meet by winning the 1,600 and 3,200 titles at the Region II meet.

In a recent conversation with staff writer Bobbi Roquemore, Issa discussed everything from possibly joining the FBI to drinking cola.

MIKE STONE/Special Contributor

Pinya Issa, who moved with his family to the U.S. from Sudan eight years ago, began running competitively only in the seventh grade yet became the Dallas ISD's first four-time cross country district champion.

Wow. I could probably see Pinkston High School from your backyard. How long does it take you to get to school?

Five minutes, maybe less. But I could run if I had to (laughter).

What did you know about America before coming here?

I just heard that it is nice, and they have everything like rap music, free education and more opportunities to do things.

You didn't know how to read or write English when you came here. How did you learn it?

I went to Northlake [in Lake Highlands] for fifth and sixth grade. I took ESL, and they taught me how to write and speak. Most of the time, I would hang out with my friends, and I'd try to understand what they're saying. It took me at least five months to understand specific wording. It was better speaking it first."

What's the first word you remember learning?

Uh, it was all bad words!

How did you get involved in track?

I was about to come to class and Coach stopped me in the middle of the hall and said, "You look like you can run." I said, "I don't know if I can." So he came to the house and asked my uncle [Musa Busa] if I could run, and so I started.

At first I didn't like it, until I went to a track meet at Sprague and I got second. I said, "Maybe I just needed to train harder." The next meet I did well, and I started liking it.

How has your running style developed over time?

A year ago, I would always be the one going first. This year, I try to stay in the pack and let them go until at least the last lap and then make my move.

Why did you switch from running the 800 and 1,600 to the 1,600 and 3,200 for your senior year?

The 800 is a lot of open running, and there isn't a lot of time to rest at regionals. I told my coach I want to run the 2-mile this day and the 1,600 the next day. It's given me more rest in between the races. The [800] prelims are on Friday and the finals are at 2 p.m. and then the mile is at 5 p.m., so that's not enough rest.

Why do you enjoy track so much?

In track, you have the crowds, and they say, 'Go Pinya!' It motivates me.

What did you used to do that you avoid now?

I haven't drunk Coke for five months now, and I think that helps. Every time I drink Cokes, I go out there to practice and I get cramps all over, so I said maybe I need to stop drinking. My body feels better now.

Have you been back to your home country?

I haven't been back, but I would love to go back.

So what's next?

My goal is to go to a university and study the FBI or become a medical assistant. With the FBI, I like to deal with the crimes, and with being a medical assistant, I like to help other people.

School, class: Pinkston, senior

Favorite song: "Umma Do Me" by Rocko

Favorite roller coaster at Six Flags: Texas Giant

Did you know? Issa's mother, Gagalo Pimas, left Pinya and his brother Sila, a freshman at Pinkston, in the care of his uncle and aunt when the family left Yabus, Sudan, because of the war. They stopped in Ethiopia before coming to the U.S. in 1999. ... There is no phone service in parts of Sudan, so residents must travel five hours to Ethiopia to use one. Issa hasn't talked to his mother for a year and his father, Moses Issa, for two years.