At a time when many parents think the path to success is to have their kid concentrate on one thing and do it maniacally, Ekwonu’s parents made sure their four children were exposed to a variety of hobbies. Always the priority was on academics, but otherwise, it was about exploring their own interests.
“Life demands well-rounded human beings. Extremes are never good. And just being prepared for whatever comes,” his mother Amaka said Friday as she joined her son at the stadium. “They were all very broad. We knew they loved every sport, but baseball was the one none of my children showed interest in, I don’t know why. They did every sport in season, whether it was neighborhood swim team or something else.
“And the summers are long. You need to stay busy. Go find something, or I’ll find it for you. So we found theatre, and they enjoyed it.”
Any parent knows that scheduling so many things, especially for multiple children, can make days a logistical nightmare. But there’s a calm sense of support from Ekwonu’s parents, a simple expectation that this is what we do, and the resources will be provided for them to do it, so it should be done fully.
And when his father explained that it took some time to get his son to the point where he also understood how to strike the right balance, you can tell it was not without moments where they did not find it. Particularly with the twins, Ickey and his brother Osita, now a linebacker at Notre Dame.
“My belief is in education. Getting an education is very important. Sport is also good, but there is a balance there where you can do both, without affecting each other,” his father TJ said. “That’s what we tried to do. School, homework, play, that kind of thing. I would try to keep them busy. Summer, how do we keep them busy so they don’t get in trouble? Swimming or football or soccer, or other activities.
“Sometimes you would have to stay on top of them, to make sure they do what you need them to do. When he was doing homework or errands, he can be a little loose with that. But when it comes to football, if the coach says I want to see you at 7 a.m., they’re there at 7 a.m.”
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