Sept. 13, 2003
Editor's Note: This story ran in the Sept. 13 edition of the Mizzou football gameday program.
by Emily Allen
Some players live for the spotlight. Some players live for the glory. Others, like defensive lineman Kene Chukwuanu, live for the game.
Kene Chukwuanu might not be a name you hear too often. After all, the 5-foot-9 senior is only beginning his second season on the Missouri football team. In 2002, the walk-on seldom saw playing time, so why is he back for season number two?
"There's a special bond between everyone on this team, and I didn't want to let my teammates down," explains Chukwuanu. "I know we have a special opportunity this year."
That special opportunity to which he refers is restoring the winning tradition Mizzou enjoyed throughout the 1960s under head coach Dan Devine. With standout quarterback Brad Smith, senior tailback Zack Abron, and reliable center A.J. Ricker in the lineup again this year, many, including Chukwuanu, believe the team has the potential to be great this season.
Being one of 18 defensive linemen on this year's roster, Chukwuanu understands that his role on the team doesn't call for much limelight. But to him, that isn't important.
"I want to help my team accomplish as much as it can. I'm willing to do anything I can to help the team accomplish its goals." Perhaps he sums it up best by merely stating, "I love playing the game."
Although he describes squatting 605 lbs. as "not very difficult", Chukwuanu is not all brawn. The pre-med biology/psychology major knows that academics come first.
"That's why I'm here," he says.
With a little time management and self-discipline, he has been able to participate in scientific research and mentor freshman and sophomore students through the Life Sciences Undergraduate Residents Opportunity Program. He has also tutored junior high school students as the vice president of the Collegiate 100, in addition to attending class and playing football. So, how exactly is Chukwuanu able to get it all done? The answer is simple.
"I don't tolerate laziness."
Despite the numerous commitments he makes to football, his academics, and the community, his family remains one of his top priorities. When asked about his inspiration, Chukwuanu doesn't hesitate to answer.
"My mother and my father," he reveals. His parents, Kingsley and Uzo, came to America from Nigeria in order to get their education. "They persevered through tough times to make their lives better."
They may have left their native country behind, but the Chukwuanus have made sure to include their Nigerian culture in Kene's everyday life.
"I've been lucky to witness two different cultures," he says. "I am able to see things from different perspectives. The way they've raised me has made me a stronger person."
As Chukwuanu wraps up his final year at Mizzou, he looks forward to medical school and beginning his career in sports medicine. The time he has spent as a Tiger has provided him with a lifetime's worth of memories, including the friends he has made, the professors who have motivated him, and the journey he has made from MU football fan to MU football player.
"Looking down onto the field as a fan, it was a great atmosphere. Looking up is an even greater feeling."