Quarantine actually a positive for Stefan as he returns from injury

GRADUALLY finding his feet in a whole new sport on the other side of the world, Stefan Okunbor began to make a big impression in the second half of his first season with the Geelong Cats.

Playing for their second team in the Victorian Football League as he adjusted to Australian Rules, the Tralee man earned rave reviews from within and outside the club. Indeed, by the end of 2019, there was huge expectation that the 21-year-old was in a position to kick on and potentially make his senior AFL debut in the new year.

However, in January, disaster struck when Okunbor ruptured his Achilles tendon in a pre-season training session. In an instant, his dreams for 2020 had been potentially shattered. Such a serious injury would often be a season-ending one.

Thankfully, the prognosis in the middle of June appears to be an awful lot more positive.

“The world has been in turmoil for the last few months, but you could say that’s it’s been turmoil for me since January. My year started very badly with the injury,” he said.

“But the funny thing is that this whole quarantine period has been a silver lining for me. I was able to concentrate fully on my recovery, and I am in a good spot now.

“After five months out, I am already sprinting again, and I should be back in full training in two or three weeks time. My biggest fear was that I might lose my pace, but the sprinting so far is going really well, and my times are good.

“It’s great to get back into the swing of things, because recuperation from injury can be very alienating. It’s very tough when you can’t go out and take part with the rest of the lads.

“But when you are faced with adversity early on in your life, it develops your mental resilience, your mental toughness, and it should stand to me for the future.”

The Cats played only their second match of a Covid-19-interrupted campaign last Friday when they destroyed Hawthorn to get their first win of the campaign, so, if Okunbor keeps progressing with his recovery, there may be time yet for that AFL senior debut down the line.

“That would be special, the cherry on top. But, for me, it’s all about going week by week and not looking too far down the line. I’m not expecting a debut any time soon.

“I just want to get my body back on track, because you need to be physically right for this game or you will get found out pretty quickly. I need to take my time and work on achieving those small little milestones first.”

In his second year of a two-year rookie contract, the former Kerry minor and under-20 player is fully aware what his situation will be at the end of the season. Getting 100 per cent fit is the first part of the plan and then he will be naturally hoping for an extension to his

Geelong deal.

“At this moment in time, I am leaving things with my manager to deal with all that stuff. My priority is to get my body right, and then we can see what the future holds.”

Fellow Kerry man Mark O’Connor put in another polished performance in the victory over the Hawks last week, and the Dingle man has been a huge influence on Okunbor, enabling him to settle from the outset in his brand new surroundings.

“Mark’s progression has been absolutely amazing. He has played 35 senior games or thereabouts now, he’s been brought into the leadership group. That tells an awful lot about his character.

“Whether he would like to admit it or not, he has been a great mentor to me. The way he conducts himself, I do look up to him.

“On the pitch, he always does the little things right, and plays it real simple. His adaptation to the game has happened really quickly.

“I have to mention Zach Tuohy too. He’s such a character, very funny, but also a role model and a mentor too. He’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Having represented Na Gaeil since he was six years of age, Okunbor found himself in Australia when his local club became All-Ireland junior club champions at Croke Park back in late January. However, he didn’t get to see the victory over Rathgarogue/Cushinstown at the time.

“No, I was just coming out of surgery that day! I only watched the game in full last week! I had seen a small clip of captain Eoin Doody, where he gave me a great little shout-out in his victory speech.

“That shows what the GAA is all about, it’s very family and community orientated. Just the fact that the club were still thinking of me gave me that increased focus to get my body right after the injury.

“There are really great players coming through in Na Gaeil, the likes of the Barry brothers, Diarmuid O’Connor, Damien Bourke, who are all great leaders. There are not too many egos around either, which is just what you want in a dressingroom. They are natural, gifted footballers.”

Speaking of O’Connor, from the outside looking in, he appears to have many of the characteristics that would peck the interest of Aussie Rules clubs.

“We better not say too much about that! Tadhg Kennelly would be getting his hopes up! As far as I know, Diarmuid was approached alright to attend one of the combines and, personally, I think he would adapt very well to the game.

“He is a naturally gifted talent but Diarmuid is fully determined on making his own career with Kerry. He is forging his own path, which is great to see.”

As for the green and gold, does Stefan Okunbor want to wear that jersey for the seniors in the future?

“If there’s a spot on the Kerry team for me, I would 100 per cent love to put the jersey back on at some point down the line.”

THIS could have been a difficult week for Stefan Okunbor. When the Geelong Cats player decided to open his heart and publicise the racist abuse that he received on three separate occasions, both on and off the pitch, during his life growing up in Kerry, he knew that he was potentially setting free a can of worms that might be difficult to control.

While the decision to release those pent-up emotions that had almost been suffocating his thoughts over the last four years or so took unbelievable character, courage and determination, the 21-year-old was fully aware that once you raise your head above the parapet by shining a light on a topic that some people don’t like discussing, you can get that same head chopped off pretty quickly.

There was no need to worry. Not in the slightest. The former Kerry minor and under-20 has been inundated with hundreds of messages of support, from within the Kingdom, other parts of Ireland and in his current home of Australia.

People were shocked to hear his story. They fully understood, however, that it took guts to tell it. They were disgusted by what they read. But were consumed with unstinting admiration for the person on the receiving end of the horrible insults.

An Ghaeltacht’s Franz Sauerland was so inspired by the Na Gaeil clubman’s powerful and emotional words that he felt liberated to such a degree himself that opening the door into his own personal experiences simply felt like the most natural thing in the world to do.

Being a catalyst to launch a proper and meaningful debate on the subject of racism is what Stefan Okunbor wanted all along. This was never about himself. This was never about one person. This was about giving freedom to others to break free from the shackles of keeping these experiences hidden in the dark excesses of the mind.

People are now letting it all out there . . . that’s why this has been one of the best weeks of Stefan Okunbor’s life.

“The week has been a bit hectic alright, but it has been everything that I anticipated and intended,” said the Tralee man in an interview with The Kerryman.

“Everything has been great. This was never a matter of me being happy, this was not about me.

“This was about other players gaining that confidence to share their own experiences. It’s then up to people to take it upon themselves to sort it all out.

“It was great to see Franz speaking up. It was a very tough read, but his response to the abuse was that of a complete gentleman. He responded in Gaelic, and that really took courage and an awful lot of leadership.

“I appreciate the call-out from Franz but, like I have said, this is far bigger than me being happy. The piece I wrote wasn’t about me. It’s about other people speaking up.

“I have received plenty of support from the Kerry senior panel this week, from players in other counties of the GAA as well, it’s been quite amazing really.”

Okunbor’s last game in the green and gold jersey was an All-Ireland under-20 semi-final against Kildare. Kerry were pipped by a single point. For the first time in his life, the Na Gaeil man is ready to reveal that it wasn’t just the narrow defeat that sickened him that day.

“I don’t want people to be