1. The inspiration behind the streak in my hair is …
“There’s no story. I thought, I want to do something different and stand out a little bit. So I was like, I’m just gonna put a stripe on the side. The first time I did it, it looked good, so I just kept doing it from then on. I did it my last year at Davis and kept it going.”
2. The personality trait I’m most proud of is …
“I’m most proud of being humble. That’s something I pride myself on. Over the years. Just being humble, hardworking. Always trying to do better in everything I do and not boast about anything. So I’d say humble.”
3. A show on Netflix that I will always be able to binge is …
“I’m actually binging it right now! Narcos. I’ve always loved that whole series. And I’m watching over for the third time right now. Also, it helps because I’ll learn Spanish from it, so, it’s a win-win for me.”
4. Something I always have with me when I travel is …
“Probably a good book or two to read to get my mind off of soccer and just enjoy. Right now, I’m reading a book called Relentless. It’s all about your drive as an athlete and stuff like that. So I’d say a good book. I’d like to say I’m a reader these days, especially after I graduated and have more time now. I’m just trying to get into reading more, making the most of the time I have. I enjoyed this book I recently read, it’s called Soccology. It’s about the mental side of the game of soccer. It helped me learn a lot. I will definitely read it over. I’d say that’s my recent favorite.”
5. My favorite family tradition is …
“I’m pretty close with my family. My parents — when I went to college — they moved back to Kenya, where they’re from. I stay in contact with them on What’s App. My sister is around, too. She’s in Sacramento, and we’ve always been pretty close. I would say for our family tradition, every August, our whole family has a picnic. Basically, friends of family, stuff like that. It’s in Sacramento. People bring food. We have jump houses, everything. It’s just a good time. So that’s a pretty big tradition in my family.”
6. My favorite meal is …
“I’m a big fan of fried chicken. And mac and cheese. Or chicken and waffles. That’s definitely good, too. Especially with a place in Southern California called Roscoe’s. It’s really good. It’s known for chicken and waffles.”
7. My hero is …
“I’d say in terms of sports, Kobe Bryant. He’s someone I’ve always looked up to. He’s hard work. He’s humble. And he always gets it done on the court and off the court. So, I’m a big fan of Kobe Bryant. And, in general, I’d say Martin Luther King. He did so much for African-Americans. He really paved the way for all of us to have equal rights and everything. Those are my two heroes.”
8. On if I’m more extroverted or introverted …
“I’m definitely more on the introverted side. It takes me a while to really open up to people.”
9. The best piece of life advice I have ever received is …
“I’d say the best piece of advice I’ve gotten is just to live in the moment. Don’t look too far ahead in life. And don’t dwell on things. At the end of the day, the moment is all we have. That’s definitely the best advice I’ve gotten.”
10. I’m proud of myself because …
“I’d say definitely graduating from UC Davis. That’s a pretty big accomplishment. It was a long, long four years, but I got it done. Especially balancing soccer and academics at a top school like that. I’m proud of myself for that.”
