Q&A with Weston football player Nwojo Uga
WESTON, Mass. — Nwojo (Jojo) Uga has always been a standout athlete since starting sports in third grade. His explosiveness and leadership skills made him shine from the start, and football seemed to be a natural fit for him. He instantly fell in love with playing football, and, although he played basketball and lacrosse, and currently runs track, Jojo calls football his 鈥渂read and butter鈥� 鈥� a sport which he could see himself taking to the highest levels.
Jojo鈥檚 continued hard work and leadership on the field has resulted in his being named captain of Weston High School鈥檚 Football team in both his junior and senior years as well as a DCL All-Star as a junior and a DCL All-League and All-Star as a senior.
To top off his excellence in athletics, Jojo decided to join Weston鈥檚 Track and Field team this past year. He was part of the 2023 D5 State Relay Champion team with a meet record of 44.66 in the 4x100m.
After graduation, Jojo will be doing a postgraduate year at Worcester Academy, where he will continue to excel both in academics and football.
Congrats, Jojo!
Interview with Jojo:
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Jojo Uga: My goal is to play football at the highest level possible 鈥� hopefully in the pros.
What do you love about your sport?
Uga: Football teaches you so much about teamwork, which is one of my favorite things about it. Even if you are the top player, things can still go south if everyone isn’t working together.
What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Uga: I have a tendency to become irritated when things start to go wrong. So, I ignore the bad thoughts as much as possible and just keep playing my game and doing what I do best.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Uga: My football coach said to 鈥榞o out there and have fun.鈥� That advice has really stayed with me. No matter what is happening or how horrible my day is, as soon as I step onto the field, I have a huge smile on my face.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Uga: One time, after receiving the ball, I outran every defender trying to tackle me until I reached the 40-yard line, at which point one of them grabbed my leg. I kept battling for more yards, but I got hit in my right arm, causing the ball to fly through the air. Fortunately, one of my teammates was there to catch the ball, but it was definitely a mistake on my part. However, I didn鈥檛 allow myself to get rattled by that one play and, later in the game, proceeded to run a 20-yard touchdown, including hammering a defender in the way.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Uga: Music always puts me in the mood for game day. So, I listen to it before each game, and it helps me get rid of any anxiety and gets me completely in the zone.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Uga: Hanging out with my friends, going out to eat, or honestly sleeping to recover.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Uga: I’ve learned how to lead and assist teammates who might need help. In addition, each teammate has certain responsibilities to allow the team to succeed. For instance, as a running back and free safety, it is my responsibility to alert the quarterback to any incoming pressure. On defense, I serve as the defense’s equivalent of the quarterback by calling plays and positioning my teammates.
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