Awesome for Alberta

Both Cowboys have embraced the warmer weather and other aspects of life in the United States, with Ogbongbemiga finding it much easier to drive to classes when there’s not a foot of snow covering the roads early in the morning. The transition to life in Stillwater didn’t come without its challenges for all parties, however. And those changes are things that still impact their respective lives.

For the Hubbards, it is something they deal with daily.

“I know for sure the number one thing I miss is my mom’s cooking,” Chuba said. “I don’t miss the cold at all, but I miss my family, my friends, the mountains and all that stuff. I like it here though, and this is my life now.”

“The biggest thing for me has been adjusting to life with him gone,” Candace said. “I’m still adjusting. It’s still strange to not have him around all the time, but we’re so proud of the young man that he is and how he continues to work so hard for his dreams while staying true to himself.”

While the Ogbongbemiga and Hubbard families continue to miss their star student-athletes, they, along with the province of Alberta, continue to proudly watch as both Cowboys chase the highest levels of success in the sport they love.

“Coming from Calgary, they both impact a lot of kids in Calgary and Alberta as a whole,” Alex said. “Amen was the first kid ever from his high school to go Division I. There’s a lot of kids who know who he is because when you’re the first to do something that’s not normal, people always want to know. There’s all these kids that look up to both of them now.

“They have a heavy impact on the sports community in Alberta.”

The impact that both Amen Ogbongbemiga and Chuba Hubbard have had on their respective home, the OSU football family and beyond has been immense. They have been strong representatives of their families in the classroom, on the field and in the world. Their work ethic, determination and continuous effort to succeed has helped them reach a level only a select few ever do, and it will serve them well as they continue to chase success at the highest levels of football and life when their time in Stillwater is done.

“I want to make it as far as I possibly can,” Ogbongbemiga said of his goals. “I don’t want to set limitations on myself. You’ve got to reach for the highest goal, and where life takes me I’m going to put in the work to chase those goals.”

“I really just want to succeed at the very best level I can,” said Hubbard, a sports management major. “I want to compete in the Olympics, and I’ve got a bunch of other dreams and goals, outside of sports. I want to own my own business someday, have a successful life and a good family. Right now though, I’m just trying to work my butt off for this program and my family.

“I just want to make my family proud in everything that I do."