Not everyday does a Monarch grow up in the country of Ghana. Sophomore Jude Brenya arrived in the United States when he was 12 years old, not knowing anything about American football.
The drastic move, due to his father landing a job in Delaware, was not difficult for Brenya.
“In school we had to learn English so there was no language barrier,” he said. The only regret that he had moving to America was leaving part of his family behind.
Living in the United States Brenya has experienced diverse cultures.
“One main difference I have noticed between states is their taste of music. Living in New Jersey people listen to the same type of music and here in Virginia people listen to all kinds of music,” he said.
While in Ghana soccer is the main sport, Brenya was quickly surrounded by the football atmosphere in the U.S.
“Football fans here are equivalent to soccer fanatics back in Ghana,” Brenya said. “In Ghana, people had no idea what football even was. We called soccer football because you play with your feet,” he said.
Soccer was not much of an option anymore to Brenya as he began to grow into his now 6-3, 250 pound frame. “I did not have the body for soccer anymore,” he said. In high school, Brenya started playing American football that led him to a football scholarship with Old Dominion. “It is a privilege to play college football,” he said.
Comparing soccer to football he states that football has more physical activity.
“Football is much more of a team sport. In soccer you can have your star player, but in football in order to score the entire team is involved,” he said.
Still being new to football, it was a challenge for him to learn all the techniques he needed. Now at the collegiate level, he has learned much more about playing defensive end and the sport in general at ODU.
The 2013 season was his first season as a Monarch. With screaming fans and sold out crowds, the occurrence was unlike any other he had experienced.
“We work so hard as a team to give the fans what they want: a Win,” he said.