The Wrangler: How was it like being a part of ASA?
Uchenna: It’s nice to be in a community of people that have shared interests and values. We always uplift each other and push each other to be better.

The Wrangler: What inspired you to join ASA and why?
Uchenna: I was interested in joining the club’s dance team. I had gone to a few shows my freshman year and just thought it was super cool. Sophomore year I decided to be a part of it.

The Wrangler: Elaborate on what it’s like being an athletic trainer and an athlete at the same time.
Uchenna: I have to prioritize a lot. As basketball season comes by, sometimes football games and practices interfere. I try my best to communicate with my coaches and with our head trainers on what I’m planning to do. Being a trainer has also helped me become safer in my other sports. I now know how to take care of certain injuries and stretches that can help me recover.

The Wrangler: What inspired you to join the basketball team and why?
Uchenna: It’s just something I always enjoyed. I played outside of school for years so it was a pretty easy decision to join the program with my friends.

The Wrangler: How long have you been interested in basketball?
Uchenna: I’ve played basketball since I was 7 years old. I really started to take it seriously in middle school.

The Wrangler: What inspired you to become an athletic trainer and why?
Uchenna: The summer before my sophomore year I went to a UT Sports Medicine camp. I really enjoyed it and realized I wanted to study something like that in college. I wasn’t sure if it was too late to join that school year but my junior year I made sure to do so.

The Wrangler: How does it feel to be on a varsity team?
Uchenna: We’re really family-oriented. Most of us have known and played with each other for years. We all enjoy playing together and it’s nice to know that we all have the same goal in mind: be the best team we can possibly be.

The Wrangler: Who is your biggest inspiration in life and why?
Uchenna: I would say my mother. She’s a very strong woman. Her resilience and sacrifice have allowed me to have the life I have today. I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for her. The only way I know how to pay her back is by being successful. That way she knows it was all worth it.

The Wrangler: What do you plan to do after high school?
Uchenna: I want to attend a four-year college, majoring in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. After college, I have aspirations of being a personal fitness trainer but truthfully I don’t know what career path my life will lead me in.

The Wrangler: Being a senior, if you could go back and look on your freshman self, what advice would you give your younger self or someone who is a freshman right now?
Uchenna: Put in more effort in everything that you do. Whether it’s academics, sports, or clubs just put in as much effort as you can. That way you can never look back and wish that you did more.