Wildcats Football will be under new management this Fall, as coach Kenneth Okwuonu takes the reins of the program. This won’t be unfamiliar territory for the new HC, given that he has been with Westbury Christian for fifteen years, not to mention he was the man who started the middle school team in 2009.
The 2023 season marks a special milestone for WCS, as this will be the twenty-fifth anniversary of the football program at the storied TAPPS school. With that in mind, it seemed only natural to catch up with Okwuonu as he kicks off his head-coaching career and see how the future of the team will look.
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VYPE: With the twenty-five year history of this program and your time spent at Westbury Christian, what does this first season mean to you and the school?
COACH OKWUONU: “It’s an exciting time for the school. We’ve gone through several changes since we started. We used to play 11-man football, but we’ve been playing 6-man for the last three years. The goal is to get back up to eleven.”
“I get the unique opportunity to keep building up the high school team. I’ve seen our ups and downs, but I’m hoping this group can change things around. Since I’ve been here for some time I’ll get to work with players that I’ve seen grow through the middle school program. So, it’s a great opportunity to build the team from the ground up again.”
VYPE: What’s the culture you intend to instill and emphasize within the football team?
COACH OKWUONU: “One of the biggest things I try to emphasize comes from a quote from Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks HC) which is ‘Always Compete’. No matter where you’re at in our program or in your level of talent, I want them to compete to make themselves better. Something I try to focus on is the notion that ‘good is the enemy of great’. We always need to strive to be more.”
VYPE: So, what is it about Westbury Christian that makes you so infused with the organization?
COACH OKWUONU: “I also teach here at Westbury Christian, so there’s multiple reasons why I invest into this school,” he said. “I also believe in the school and the program enough that I’ve had two kids who went here, and two more that currently go to school at WCS.”
“Westbury Christian is a place where I believe in it enough that I bring my own family into the system. I trust in the teachers, I trust in the coaches, and it brings me a lot of security in my decisions.”