Torn between two sports she loved, Cynthia Chidiebere Adamu, freshman striker from Austria and Nigeria, had to make one choice when she was 7 years old: To hold a racket or to kick a ball. Two completely different worlds. In tennis, every point depends on her. In soccer, victory and defeat are shared as a team. While she loved both, it was soccer that stole her heart from the very beginning.
“I played before tennis, and then I started with soccer. I played both at the same time, and then my dad told me, I have to decide between those two,” Adamu said. “I think it took me a long time to realize, but I think because it gives me more joy. I love playing in a team sport. Tennis, like a single sport, you compete alone.”
Influenced by two of the most prolific and celebrated strikers in women’s soccer, Asisat Oshoala from Nigeria and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw from Jamaica, Adamu draws much of her inspiration from closer to home.
“I will look up to my brother because he plays also,” Adamu said. “He plays professional football in Germany, and he’s giving me advice; what I can do better.”
Now as a freshman majoring in general studies at TJC, Adamu has found more than just a team on the field. Though far from home, her faith in God and friendships help her stay motivated and navigate the challenges of college life.
“I’m a freshman, and it’s been really, really hard for me here. Before I came here to the U.S., my parents told me, you may be far from home, but you may not be far from God. So that is keeping me motivated. I have also lovely teammates,” Adamu said.
Her journey as an athlete not only has taught her to come back up after a fall but also to be more disciplined and push herself even though it is difficult.
“Being an athlete is so beautiful. It’s shaping me to be the person more disciplined,” Adamu said. “I’m really disciplined. I’m really strict with myself, but that’s good.”
With her eyes set on the future, Adamu dreams of continuing to make her mark in soccer. So far this season, she has found the back of the net 7 times out of 13 games played, each goal a reflection of her dedication, discipline and love for the game that drives her to keep scoring.
“I want to become a professional footballer, and it may not be today or tomorrow, but I know that God will make your way,” Adamu said. “I feel working hard for that because it started very late, but I am here where I am now, so it’s not easy, but I feel like God has planned for me.”
Off the field when Adamu is not chasing goals, her energy is nonstop. Whether it’s fashion, modeling, drawing, or reading her Bible, she pours the same passion into her hobbies as she does into soccer.
“I have an Instagram account. I love fashion. I love taking pictures of myself, of other things. I love being the model of like, if someone takes a picture, I love doing that,” Adamu said.
Even for Adamu, soccer has never been an easy road, she keeps fighting and giving it her all. As well as feeling the thrill of victories, she also has felt the weight of injuries and uncertainty.
“I feel good, but I’ve been struggling with muscle injuries, so it’s kind of been up and down,” Adamu said. “I still put my faith in God. It’s not always easy as a footballer, because people only see OK, you have to perform and all of that, but they don’t actually know how they feel. So I feel like it’s going up and down.”
Trusting that every challenge has a purpose, her story isn’t just about soccer, it’s about faith, gratitude and the belief that even when the future is unknown, her heart will keep chasing the ball and the plan God has written for her.
“I’m still blessed and grateful for where I am now,” Adamu said. “I know that tomorrow is not promised.”
