Senior Feature -- Victor Sesay
9/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 30, 2004
Editor's Note: This feature ran in the Sept. 4 edition of the Mizzou football gameday program.
by Jessica Poole
Senior tight end Victor Sesay is no stranger to travel. He's been from Maryland to California and Missouri all for the sake of the beloved pigskin, but he really wouldn't have it any other way because that's how much he loves the game. Sesay, a junior college transfer from Ventura College in California, is proud to say he has made a home in Columbia for the past two years and will be sad when it's time to leave.
"I'm such a long way from home in Maryland," Sesay said. "But I think that I've come to think of Columbia as home, because of the hospitality of my teammates and coaches."
Sesay came to Mizzou as a highly touted junior college player. A first team All-Western Conference performer while attending Ventura College, Sesay has continued to be a key asset to the football squad after coming to Mizzou. Highly regarded college football programs courted Sesay, but it was the atmosphere here at Mizzou that made him want to don the Old Gold and Black.
"I was recruited by schools like Nebraska and Tennessee and I even took visits to those programs," Sesay said. "But when I came here to Mizzou, the coaching staff and the team really made me feel comfortable. It was almost like the coaching staff and I were on the same page right from the beginning. I liked that about the program."
After choosing to come to Mizzou, Sesay had the challenge of moving from a junior college program to a Division I program and while the differences are major, it didn't have that much effect on Sesay. "Coming from junior college to Division I is a huge change," Sesay said. "In junior college you can kind of do your own thing, but here in Division I, playing football is like a job and you need to be prepared and know how to manage your time between being an athlete and being a student."
Football has been a part of Sesay's life for just about as long as he can remember. He recalls that it was a group of his friends that played after school that really got him hooked on the sport.
"I remember in elementary school some of my friends always went to football practice after school, so I told my mom that I wanted to go to football practice too," Sesay said. "I remember going to my very first practice and after practice the coach said that I could join the team. Ever since then, I've been playing."
While Sesay has moved through the ranks of Pop Warner football to junior college football and now to Division I, one thing has remained constant, the fact that his family comes first. When it comes to finding inspiration Sesay doesn't have to look far because his mother Esther Sesay fits the bill.
"My inspiration has and always will be my mother," Sesay said. "I think that she is the hardest working person in the world and if I can be half the person that she is I'll make it in this world."
With his family living in Maryland, an 18-hour car ride away, Sesay doesn't get to see them much, but does try to talk to them when he has some spare time. One pleasant change that Sesay got after coming to Mizzou was that his family was able to attend some home games. When Sesay was in junior college in California they weren't able to come to any games.
"Even though they can't make it to all the games it's really nice to see them when they do make that 18-hour drive," Sesay said. "It just really motivates me to play my best when they're here."
There aren't many times when Sesay isn't playing at his best. Last season Sesay was probably one of the biggest impact newcomers and showcased his skills in the Tigers' historic victory over Nebraska. It was Sesay that brought in a 14-yard touchdown catch from backup quarterback Santino Riccio, off of a fake field-goal play, propelling the Tigers to a 41-24 win over the Cornhuskers.
"That was one of the best feelings ever," Sesay said. "It's one of those games that will forever be etched in my mind."
When this season is over and after graduation has passed, Sesay will set his eyes on possibly continuing his career in the NFL, but one thing that can be certain is that sports will be in his future. Whether it's coaching or broadcasting, we will be hearing from Victor Sesay in the near future.
