SOMETHING TO SCOUT ABOUT
CFL combine is another example of how football talent runs in the Onyeka family
For years, Kene and Godfrey Onyeka and their football-playing cousins have pushed each other to be better.
It’s a healthy competition in a journey that took Kene to Ottawa’s Carleton University and Godfrey to Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont.
— where each found excellence. In the Canadian Football League Scouting Bureau’s winter rankings, Godfrey, a defensive back, was ranked sixth. Kene, a defensive lineman, was 14th.
Both participated in the CFL combine Saturday and Sunday, looking to show coaches and scouts from the league’s nine teams what they can do. Maybe they didn’t do as well as they would have liked, and maybe the numbers weren’t what they were looking for — but that’s just motivation to work harder.
“I think there’s always a rivalry between us,” Kene said.
“That’s how we got to the level we did, it’s the competition.
“It’s a huge honour to be ranked, but we’re not No. 1 and No. 2 so we push each other to get better. It is who we are by nature — we’re just competitive people. If you’re going to want to do something, if you’re passionate about it, you might as well push to be the best.
“It started when we were kids. It’s the way our parents raised us. Nakas (a linebacker with the Toronto Argonauts) and Kosi (a linebacker with the University of Guelph Gryphons), they’re cousins.
“We’re always together. We’re always competing. Nobody wants to be the worst one. Everybody’s pushing to be the best.”
When they were younger, the cousins would play in an uncle’s backyard — no pads, almost full contact. They learned how to get physical, something that’s never been lost.
Kene and Godfrey were born in Nigeria. When they moved to Canada, Godfrey was 11 and Kene was nine.
While they live in Brampton, Ont., with their mom Jane, father Godfrey Sr. splits his time between Nigeria and Canada.
“(My dad) thinks football is a crazy man’s sport,” said Kene.
“Even the way my grandma talks about it — ‘All it is is people knocking people out.’ That’s what football looks like when you don’t understand it.
“I wouldn’t say my mom’s a football fan. She supports us in what we do, but she’s one of those moms where you say, ‘Mom, I’m an all-star’ and she says, ‘That’s really good, I’m happy for you … but how are your grades?’”
Jane’s attitude rubbed off on her children.
“When you’re a kid, you don’t really understand it because you just want to have fun,” Kene said. “But it makes a lot of sense now. Live in the now, but plan for the long term.”
Catching on: A couple of receivers made great impressions over the weekend. Central Michigan’s Mark Chapman won the broad jump with a measurement of 10 feet 7.25 inches and the threecone drill with a time of 7.00 seconds. Chapman also came in second in the shuttle and fourth in the vertical jump. Chapman had been ranked 10th by the CFL Scouting Bureau.
McMaster Marauders receiver Daniel Petermann had the fastest 40-yard time at 4.54 seconds, and tied with Toronto linebacker Paul Kozachuk for the best vertical leap with 39 inches.
Petermann also had the fourth-best broad jump (10 feet 4.25 inches) and was third in the three-cone drill (7.03 seconds). Blog on, Henry: Ottawa’s Rashari Henry, a defensive lineman at Wilfrid Laurier, is making a difference off the field with The Stath Blog.
“After my second year in university, I decided to start a blog that gives a platform to student athletes current and former to feature their stories, experiences and advice,” Henry said. “It’s not only for student athletes, it’s also for family members, friends or people just interested in sports.
“Some have compared it to The Players’ Tribune, but I like to say we’re a little different. We try to keep it as raw as possible. We try to allow the players to express themselves.
“Going into university, I was the kind of person who would Google ‘what should I expect for my first training camp’ or
‘how do I balance my schedule’ … things like that. I was on WikiHow, all those self-help websites. So I thought, why don’t I create something that’s a central place where people can get an inside look?
“It’s more than just, ‘Oh, you had a good game. Tell me about it.’ It’s more, ‘Who are you behind the uniform’ or ‘What did it take for you to go pro’ … things like that.”
Thorpe north: Queen’s defensive back Jacob Firlotte, from Abbotsford, B.C., has a strong social conscience and is hoping he can be a positive influence for Aboriginals. His mother Elizabeth is from a First Nation community.
“I’m trying to be a good role model,” he said. “In the mainstream media, there aren’t too many Aboriginal role models out there. I’m trying to be the next Jim Thorpe.”
On his left tricep, he has a tattoo with the letters MMIW, for missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Take it from Tunde: Carleton defensive back Justin Howell said he looks to former teammate Tunde Adeleke as an example of what can happen in the CFL. Adeleke, a defensive back and kick returner, was a key contributor for the Calgary Stampeders in his rookie season. Said Howell: “We’re really close friends. We train together almost every day. There were some doubts — some teams and coaches had question marks about him. I take that as inspiration — keep working, trust your technique and trust who you are as a player.”