Football, Family and Faith; The Pillars of Kolade Amusan Success

Kolade Amusan leans forward, a thoughtful expression on his face as he unravels the threads of his football journey – shaped by family, fortified by faith, and fuelled by an unyielding desire to succeed.

Amusan was eager to share his story. As we revisited each chapter of his journey, it was clear these moments transported him back to pivotal stops where he had to fight, compete, persevere, and reaffirm his belief in the path he had chosen.

“Why football?” I asked.

Amusan tilted his head back, his gaze momentarily fixed on the ceiling as he searched for the right words. It didn’t take him long.

“Football is the one sport I found I could release tension. I started playing in fifth grade at 13 and took the sport seriously,” he recalled. “It opened doors for me. Along the way, I met people who supported me—teammates, their families, and the community.”

The sense of camaraderie and support football offered was unlike anything he’d experienced in other sports he played, like basketball, soccer, and wrestling.

“Football comes with so much support,” he explained. “Coaches drove me to practices, and people went above and beyond, whether it was for tutoring or anything else. Football truly feels like a family sport.”

While Amusan found a sense of community and belonging in football, his newfound passion didn’t initially resonate at home.

“My parents weren’t fans of football,” he emphasized. “In a Nigerian household, they don’t take things seriously until they see success. Success has to come first for them to believe.”

For those unfamiliar with Nigerian culture, it’s an entirely different world for children who wish to pursue non-academic paths. Navigating those desires can be incredibly challenging.

“In my household, it’s academics, academics,” Amusan repeated for emphasis. “I was the one who broke the barrier by not taking my academics as seriously as my parents wanted.”

Football has taken Amusan on a ride, full of challenges and triumphs.

“This journey has been unexpected,” he reflected. “There have been ups and downs, but I’ve found success, and I’m grateful for it every day. A lot of people would be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.”

About thirty minutes into our conversation, I played a short clip from a Nike football event in Chicago on May 14, 2016, where a 17-year-old Amusan was interviewed by Rob Howe (Link to Interview).

Watching the clip, Amusan’s smile is evident, twinkles in his eyes, reminiscing on watching his younger self.

Bare-faced and a little nervous, he still managed to project confidence in his conversation with Howe.

Amusan’s unease was evident when he forgot the name of Iowa’s coach—a program he had recently visited.

“Uhhh, Coach Uhhh…” he said, kissing his teeth. “What is his name? Coach uhh…” After a pause, Howe stepped in.

“Wallace?” Howe prompted.
“Yeah, yeah, Coach Wallace,” Amusan nodded.

Amusan said he “under-recruited” at the time, meaning his talent hadn’t garnered the interest it deserved.

“That’s just my motivation,” he expressed. “It makes me want to go harder; it doesn’t bother me.”

Amusan recalled his nerves during the event.

“There were so many scouts from all levels. The event was streamed and recorded, so I wanted to prove I belonged, that I could play with the best.”

The pressure Amusan faced earlier in his journey wasn’t just about proving his talent to coaches, scouts or programs – it was also about showing his parents he could succeed.

Born in Minnesota to Nigerian parents, Amusan faced high expectations in his formative years.

Our conversation shifted here, filled with laughter and shared understanding, as I related to his experience, coming from a Nigerian background myself. “They don’t

accept second or third. They want you to be first in whatever you’re doing,” he emphasized. “It puts a lot of pressure on kids, I dealt with pressure many my age didn’t

face. My friends would ask, ‘Why are your parents always on you? Why can’t they let you chill?’” Amusan openly acknowledged his early struggles and the challenges he

presented to his parents. “I wasn’t always the best kid. I was always in trouble, very playful. My parents disciplined me and set me straight. As a kid, you think it’s

punishment, but as you get older, you realize it’s redirection. They wanted me to succeed.”

The tug-of-war with his parents over academics and football was constant. His sister, Solape, knew it wasn’t always easy for her brother.

“My parents thought football was taking all his time,” she shared. “If his grades slipped, they blamed it on football. They thought he wasn’t prioritizing other things.”

Balancing academics and football was a constant challenge for Amusan.

“I had to show I could balance football and my academics,” he explained. “My parents monitored my grades closely, so if they slipped, they’d threaten to pull me from practice, or even take me out of the sport.”

Amusan’s perspective has evolved over time and he knoew his parents did not always walk on an easy path.

“If you know what they went through, you’d understand,” he reflected. “Nothing came easy for them. They worked jobs they didn’t want as immigrants in the U.S. to sacrifice for us, their children. If I could go back and choose my parents, I’d choose them again, no question.”

After graduating from Woodbury High School in Minnesota, Amusan began his college football journey at the University of South Dakota. However, he soon faced new challenges.

The coach who had recruited him left for a better program, leaving Amusan to navigate an uncertain future. After a year and a half, he transferred to Highland Community College in Kansas.

“I was in the middle of nowhere in Kansas in 2019,” he recalled. “That’s when my faith was truly tested. I asked myself, ‘Do I really like football?’”

The environment was gruelling.

“It was so competitive. Everyone—players and coaches alike—was trying to move to the next level.”

After his time at Highland, Amusan transferred to Davenport University in Michigan in 2020, earning a business degree. As graduation approached, he explored graduate transfer opportunities in the United States.

“I was talking to a lot of schools in the U.S.,” he explained. “My plan was to stay there. Being American, I didn’t know much about Canadian sports.”

An unexpected opportunity led him to consider the University of Windsor, where he found a promising future.

“I sat down with my family and prayed about it,” he recalled. “They told me this was where I needed to be, whether I wanted to fight it or not.”

Years after Amusan had to convince his family to let him pursue football, the roles reversed—they encouraged him to make the leap across the border.

Still, the decision wasn’t easy. Adjusting to a new environment for education, athletics, and culture was daunting. When I sensed there was more to his hesitation, I asked him to elaborate.

“There was peer pressure from friends,” he admitted. “No one (in America) knows much about Canadian sports. They didn’t understand why I’d play football in Canada. Plus, U Sports football doesn’t offer full-ride scholarships. In the States, I had plenty of offers but turned them down to come here. It was a risk, but I prayed about it and knew it would pay off.”

 

 

Amusan transferred to the University of Windsor in the fall of 2022, and his time with the Lancers has been nothing short of remarkable.

“He puts his best foot forward with great focus and intent,” Joe Circelli, offensive coordinator, noted.  “He’s constantly working on his craft, his drive to be great is unmatched.”                                                               

Javonni Cunningham, a wide receiver for the Lancers and one of Amusan’s closest teammates, speaks to his relentless drive.

“He is very consistent—super consistent,” Cunningham emphasized. “He doesn’t let anything affect his preparation or routine. After practice, which ends at 9 or 10 p.m., he still heads to the weight room to lift.”

On April 2, 2024, Amusan was awarded the Olympic Shield, the University of Windsor’s highest honour for Male Athlete of the Year, after leading the country with 11.5 sacks.

His performance helped lead the team to a 6-2 finish and a top ten national ranking.

Amusan’s accolades didn’t end there. He received back-to-back recognition as an All-Canadian, awarded to the top university football players across Canada, and was named an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star for both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Reflecting on the start of his football journey, Amusan acknowledges how his early struggles and subsequent success paved the way for his younger siblings to pursue sports with greater freedom.

“I took the criticism for focusing on football over academics,” he remarked. “I paved the way for my younger siblings to play at the highest level.”

Solape, currently in her rookie year playing basketball in Spain for Maristas Coruña in Liga Femenina 2, agrees with her brother.

“He set the way for me and my younger brother to play sports,” she explained. “Having African parents accept that you can excel in sports is difficult.”

Solape’s admiration for her brother is clear.

“He is an amazing big brother,” she said with a warm smile.

Faith is a cornerstone of Amusan’s life. He spoke often in our chat of prayer and how his belief in God carried him through life’s toughest moments.

“Faith means everything,” he shared. “You go through things that test your faith. I built my relationship with Christ through football. There were times I doubted myself – wondering if it was worth it, if I should quit – but my faith kept me going.”

As he reflected, Amusan’s voice was somber yet resolute, each word revealing how deeply this belief has shaped his journey.

One of his greatest tests came in February 2021, when he tore his Achilles tendon.

“I won’t lie, I was scared for him,” Solape admitted. “It was a hard time. His world was shaken. Football is everything to him. I’ve never seen him not play. I was worried about how it would affect him.”

By early March, Amusan underwent surgery. Doctors estimated a recovery time of 10 months to a year, but he refused to accept that timeline.

“I promised my doctor I’d be back in the fall,” he said firmly. “I wrote it on my vision board and had to speak it into existence.”

Through grueling therapy and relearning how to walk, Amusan discovered faith wasn’t just a crutch – it was his driving force.

“During that time, he began building his relationship with God,” Solape recalled. “I saw him go from doubting he’d play again to believing he would bounce back.”

“By the grace of God, I recovered in six and a half months,” Amusan shared. “I missed the first two games but finished the season. My coaches were shocked—they’d written me off. But I came back and had a good year.”

Amusan credits his sister as his unwavering support during recovery.

“My sister and I are two years apart, and people think we’re twins because we look alike,” he explained. “We’re both athletes, so when I need to vent, I call her. She keeps me going. We’re crutches for each other.”

Having faced her own struggles in college, Solape was positioned to encourage her brother.

“When he asked for advice, I told him, ‘I have no answers other than to keep praying.’ I reassured him that God didn’t bring us this far for nothing.”

Amusan acknowledged the irony in their bond. “Growing up, my sister and I didn’t get along at all,” he admitted with a laugh.

“We fought a lot, but after high school, our relationship grew stronger. Being away from home, we had to depend on each other—venting and praying brought us closer.”

While Amusan’s on-field achievements are impressive, Solape is most proud of the person he’s become off the field.

“I’m super proud of him,” Solape said. “He’s accomplished so much on the field. Without many mentors or parents who understood the athletic world, he navigated the transfer portal, injuries, and more on his own. His football achievements are impressive, but who he is off the field amazes me even more.”

Cunningham shares this admiration.

“He’s a great teammate,” Cunningham said. “Always loving, serving, and caring for others. When I’ve faced tough times, he reminds me of God’s word. He lets people lean on him and uses his faith to encourage them.”

Circelli reflected on Amusan’s growth.

“He was a bit of an introvert and guarded at first,” Circelli observed. “But over time, he’s opened up, connecting with and supporting his teammates both during the season and off-season.”

Amusan’s time in university athletics may be over, but his journey is far from complete. In March 2025, he will travel to Regina for the CFL combine, where teams evaluate top prospects for the draft or signing.

Preparation is already underway. On January 10, Amusan will compete at an All-Star Showcase in Texas, testing himself under the watchful eyes of scouts from across the football world.

“I was blessed to be invited to the All-Star Showcase,” Amusan shared. “All 32 NFL teams, 9 CFL teams, and scouts from the USFL and Indoor Football League will be there. This is a huge opportunity.”

The difference between the 17-year-old at the Nike event and the 26-year-old today is striking. At 17, he was nervous, eager to prove himself. Now, his determination radiates unshakable confidence and the poise of a man meticulously prepared for this moment.

Cunningham is optimistic about Amusan’s draft prospects.

“I expect him to be the first overall pick—I’ll be surprised if he’s not,” Cunningham said. “We’ve been training together, and his times and vertical are out of this world.”

“The day of the combine is like an interview,” Amusan explained. “You don’t show up to a job interview unprepared. The combine is about reps. My training replicates every drill so that, when the moment comes, it’s all muscle memory.”

Amusan’s story isn’t one of instant success or a straight path. It’s about the game that helped him discover himself, the family whose discipline and support shaped his relentless drive, and the faith in God that strengthened him at every turn. As he moves forward, he will continue to lean on these foundations to reach new heights.