Kerry Footballer, Stefan Okunbor will take part in Plant For The Planet Games this November in Kenya. The games are the brainchild of Warriors for Humanity founder and former Galway dual player Alan Kerins and are in partnership with Self Help Africa and the GPA. The games will feature 50 male and female Inter-County Gaelic Games players from all four codes. Each player participating in the games has committed to raising €10,000. The funds raised will go to Self Help Africa to support the planting of trees, essential not only to combating the increasing impact of climate change but also as a way of providing sustainable income for local communities.
Donations to the Plant For The Planet Games can be made at www.idonate.ie/event/planttheplanet.
By Cian O’Connell
“It was tumultuous, I guess, to say the least,” Stefan Okunbor reflects on his own 2022 campaign with Kerry.
Having returned to Ireland following a stint in the AFL, injuries had a severe impact throughout the year for Okunbor, but All-Ireland glory was still attained.
“A lot of ups and a lot of downs, but look I'm relatively happy with how the year went,” he adds. “We got what we set out to get and it is a pity from a personal perspective I couldn't get more game time or get my body straight for more than four or five weeks, but I'm very happy with how it went.”
Back at home for more than a year now, how has Okunbor acknowledges it was challenging at first. “I think it was actually quite hard initially because I didn't play club when I first came back,” Okunbor says.
“I didn't know what the story was with me being called into the Kerry seniors. I was more so focused on seeing friends and family, getting back into college, getting that aspect of my life back together so I could feel relatively safe. Then I could focus on football.”
Okunbor credits Kerry manager Jack O’Connor and those involved with his club Na Gaeil. “Jack and the coaches gave me that space, and the club coaches,” he adds. “So that helped out a lot.
“They gave me the option to come back this year or next year. I thought if I don't come back this year then life could just grow legs and run away from you. So I just tried to tackle it this year.”
Stefan Okunbor raises the Sam Maguire Cup after Kerry's All-Ireland SFC win in July.
Balancing sport with college and work commitments can be demanding according to Okunbor. “It is different because in Australia it is your full-time job, your mates are your team mates, you don't really have much time to focus on other things in your life such as work and career,” Okunbor says.
“There is a massive, massive silver lining in Ireland. People say should it go professional or semi-pro? I think we have a great system at the moment, as in you have a safety net to fall back on if Gaelic Football doesn't work out.
“Whereas in Australia, the Leaving Cert equivalent, let’s say they know they are getting drafted at age 15 or 16 so they wouldn't put too much study into their Leaving Cert.
“The average career is five years, come 22 or 23 you have no safety net to fall back on because you haven't pursued that aspect of life. Here, I think I'm pretty lucky to come back to what I had.”
While in Australia Okunbor simply missed being involved with progressive Tralee outfit Na Gaeil. “Yeah, it was actually quite tough,” Okunbor reflects. “That is probably what added to my homesickness, seeing them in the junior championship final, as in I didn't watch that game for about nine months until after it happened. I was just out of surgery, I just couldn't bring myself to watch it.
“They are a great bunch of lads and coaches. It is a really family orientated club, you really do feel part of the community. I know nearly every club player could say that, but I do feel integrated in the community, and it definitely helped my transition back from Australia.
“You are lost, I guess you could say, when you come back that you are really lost in terms of where to go to next in life. You could probably say you come back with your tail between your legs - I wouldn't say that myself - but you definitely are lost.
Stefan Okunbor played for Kerry against Limerick in the McGrath Cup last January.
“They made that transition so much easier, they gave me the space and all of the platforms to progress back into college. They have been great, they have been really good to me.”
Valuable sporting lessons were learned too throughout a hugely successful stint for Kerry, and Okunbor relished training.
“It's a great set-up,” Okunbor states. “I think Paddy Tally has been huge in terms of everyone's learning. He's really brought everyone together down back.
“You're nearly playing as a defender for him, just not to let him down. That makes a huge, huge difference. But for me personally I've learned so much from the boys, over the course of the last year.
“Even though I didn't really manage to get much game time it's been massive for my learning in terms of transitioning back. So I'll try to apply it all next year.”
Following a spell disrupted by injuries Okunbor is hopeful about making an impact with Kerry in 2023. “If my body holds up I'd love to try to cement a place on the team, as every inter-county player, I guess,” Okunbor responds.
One thing remains key for Okunbor. “Just keep enjoying it,” he adds. “Enjoy family, life, college - all together, just keep enjoying it.”
