Idonije urges students to think about the future

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This article was published 10/03/2011 (5547 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Close to 1,100 students from four Brandon schools greeted Chicago Bears defensive lineman Israel Idonije with chants of "Izzy, Izzy," as Vincent Massey High School’s most famous alumnus sought to inspire the next generation.

"We’re from the same place and the same situations," Idonije told a crowd of 1,100 students from Vincent Massey, as well as J.R. Reid, Meadows and Linden Lanes schools. "My message to you is that it starts now. Today, start thinking about who you are, where you want to end up. You are never too young to start that."

Idonije said his first athletic pursuit as a Vincent Massey Viking came on the basketball court, not the football gridiron.

Once he took up the game as a Grade 12 student, he rose through the ranks by casting aside his self-doubt to achieve a spot in the toughest league in the world.

"Where do you see yourself? What are the things that define who you are?" Idonije asked one student.

"I don’t know," the male student replied.

"You don’t know? Believe it or not, that’s the answer most people say. … So I hope you start thinking about that," Idonije said.

"When I was 13, I wanted to be either a basketball player for the Chicago Bulls or a child psychologist. After days on the basketball court, everything I did was geared towards those goals."

Idonije told the students that sometimes those goals need to change, as personal plans and situations evolve, citing his decision to try football as an example.

"If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to get there?" Idonije said. "When you have a plan, you can make decisions and choices. For me, that’s what I want for you."

Idonije, who hadn’t visited the school in seven or eight years, said Wednesday’s event meant a lot to him.

"It’s incredible, in these halls, in this gym that I played in, just to be able to connect with these kids on a different level means a lot because we are from the same place," Idonije said. "I’ve been fortunate to have some success and just like me, they can achieve success. They just have to work for it."

Students were inspired by Idonije’s words and plan to implement his advice.

"I kind of play football too and he was a great inspiration to me and my older brother," Rebekah LeDoux said.

"You are never too young to plan ahead, and I already have a big plan for my life. I want to train horses. The NFL is not for me."

Sterling McArthur, a Grade 11 student, said meeting a pro football player was "huge."

"He’s done a lot of good things and you want to mirror him," McArthur said. "When you see how good of a person he is, you want to be a good person too. I will keep pushing for my sports, maybe try to compete in volleyball more to be more like Izzy."

That was exactly the impact Idonije’s former teachers hoped for when their prized student returned to his former school.

"They’ve got to believe that anything is possible," said Kevin Grindey, Idonije’s first football coach.

"Like Israel said, you’ve got to set a goal and go for it. The worst thing that can happen is you’re a way better person than when you started that goal."

After his speech, Idonije took questions from the students, handed out a few souvenirs and signed an autograph for anyone that wanted one. That led to a lengthy lineup of excited students taking pictures and having the NFLer sign anything from their sneakers, to cellphones, footballs or simple scraps of paper.

"He smells good," one young student told her friend as they walked away following a group photo with Idonije.

Vincent Massey students made a $3,071.71 to the Israel Idonije Foundation, which does charitable works such as the First Down program geared to encourage middle years students to stay in school.

"That’s an incredible group of kids that stepped up to support me," Idonije said. "Seeing their commitment to our cause and showing they care, that’s incredibly heartwarming."

Other projects include providing medical care, clean water and sports programs in Africa.