Biography
By Jim Hague
The player who has scored the most important goal in the history of the Rutgers-Newark men’s soccer program has a very distinctive and memorable name.
He’s Innocent Buule. Yes, that is his first name. His last name is pronounced BOO-LAY. A native of Uganda who came to the United States only six years ago, Buule has received his fair share of kidding over the years because of his unique name.
“My mom had me at a very young age,” Buule said. “Her brother told her that her kid had to be innocent because she was giving birth so young. That's how the name came about. I do get kidded a lot about it. I tell people, `Well, at least I'm not guilty.’ ”
Buule’s mother, Harriet Daffoni, took a major gamble when Buule was a teenager. She left her native Uganda and left her young son there in order to find a place in the United States to establish herself and then could find a suitable place for Innocent to get an education.
Harriet Daffoni settled in nearby West New York and a year later, Innocent was enrolled at Memorial High School, where he became a standout two-sport (soccer and track) athlete.
“I’m very grateful to my mom,” Buule said. “She did it all on her own and left a lot of people back home in Uganda. But she realized that the situation there was not good and she had to do something. What she did for me is what drives me and motivates me. She was able to keep going, keep pushing. If she can make it, then so could I.”
Buule had a fine soccer career at Memorial, leading the Tigers to their first Hudson County championship in almost 20 years, scoring 32 goals. He was also a fine track performer, winning two medals as a sprinter at the NJSIAA state sectionals as a senior.
After high school, Buule first attended Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, because he was told by a coach at an NCAA Division I program that if he went to Tyler, Buule could secure a scholarship.
But Buule didn’t like the atmosphere at Tyler.
“I didn’t like the way things were done,” Buule said. “I felt it was more of a professional environment than it was a college. Everything was focusing on soccer. I wanted to focus more on school. So after a year, I decided to come back.”
Buule said that he always had interest in Rutgers-Newark, but became even more intrigued when he found out that Kevin East, who recruited Buule when East was at New Jersey City University, was coaching at R-N.
“I think having Coach East here helped me a lot,” Buule said. “I called him and asked him if I could come to Rutgers. He said that he wanted me to come back.”
East knew that Buule had something that most soccer players don’t possess -- incredible speed.
“When I saw him play, he was just lightning,” East said. “He was so fast and that definitely stood out. He also scored some nice goals in high school. I thought he was an impressive player who could definitely play at the next level.”
When Buule finally enrolled at Rutgers-Newark, East was amazed with how truly fast Buule is.
“I’ve never seen anyone as fast as him,” East said. “One game, we were playing Albright, and he was starting 10 yards in front of the defenders and each time managed to get 20 yards behind them. I was laughing with my assistants, because we all couldn’t believe it. He’s just so fast and he’s a nice weapon to have. He definitely causes problems for the opposition.”
Buule is currently leading the Scarlet Raiders in goals with seven. East believes he could be scoring more.
“He needs to improve on his game,” East said. “With his speed and ability, he should be in double digits in goals. He gets some matchups with defenders that with his speed, he has to finish. I can’t see a defender staying with him.”
Buule knows that he has some work to do.
“I think the speed has improved, but so have my ball skills,” Buule said. “I’ve worked on my quickness with the ball and getting away from defenders. I think it’s helped me a lot. But I do agree with Coach East in that I have to get better at finishing. I think I average two one-on-one chances per game with my speed, so I should score a lot more goals.”
Buule has scored seven goals, but none bigger than the one Saturday in the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs against Richard Stockton.
Buule got behind the defenders and scored the game’s lone goal in overtime. The golden goal gave the Scarlet Raiders their first-ever NJAC playoff victory and enabled the Scarlet Raiders to advance to the league’s semifinals against nationally ranked Montclair State.
“When you consider the history of Rutgers-Newark, scoring that goal was the biggest thing to ever happen to me,” said Buule, who was selected as the NJAC Offensive Player of the Week for his heroics. “It was the first time we won in the conference playoffs and now we get a chance to play one of the best teams in the nation. And I scored the game-winning goal in overtime? It’s one of the best feelings ever.”
Buule is also an excellent student, majoring in finance. He hopes to get into investment banking one day.
“Inno is such a great kid and he’s very humble,” East said. “But he’s not intimidated or afraid. He has confidence in himself and his abilities. He wants to be out there, making plays.
Added East, “From everything I pick up from him, his mother did a fine job of raising him. He’s all about his education first. He knows what’s really important. He’s worked out very well here.”
In Buule’s mind, it all goes back to the woman who baptized him with the name of Innocent.
“A lot of who I am has to do with my mom,” Buule said. “She’s always telling me about the next game, always telling me about the future, that I can’t worry about the past. She raised me very well. It’s all from her. I owe a lot to her.”
And the Scarlet Raiders’ soccer program owes a lot to Innocent Buule.
