4 minute read
AYO OYELOLA
interview: George White
From training on the astroturf at the University of Nottingham to joining the Jacksonville Jaguars as a defensive back, Ayo Oyelola has made it his mission to represent the UK at the highest level of American football. We chat to the law graduate about his time at UoN, joining an NFL team, and the importance of promoting his sport on home soil…
How did you feel when you got the call to join the Jacksonville Jaguars?
My initial reaction was just really emotional, because it's something I've been dreaming of for a very long time. But then that quickly faded because I realised there's actually work to do - my mindset shifted from disbelief to gratitude and a drive to keep pushing.
How have you found working with an NFL team?
There’s an amazing energy in the locker room. I’ve made a lot of friends already, a lot of brothers, and it’s so great to work with them. I love the coaching staff as well. Everyone in the building is willing to help us get better, and that’s been amazing to experience. There’s a great culture at the Jags.
Why did you decide to study at the University of Nottingham?
I wanted a place that was really strong academically, but since sport has always been my number one focus, I also wanted somewhere that had really good training facilities. UoN ticked every box, so it was an easy choice for me to come here. I really enjoyed the law course, I made lifelong friends, and it has such a beautiful campus that I still love to visit.
How much of an influence did the university have on your career?
As far as American football facilities go in the UK, UoN probably offers the best. So that really helped me. There were a lot of people who were dedicated to the team winning - sure, they might have not wanted to go to the NFL like I did, but they wanted to win. So that was good too. I really enjoyed working with those guys, and we're still really close to this day.
Obviously the Jaguars will be coming to the UK later in the year for a sell-out game at Wembley. How big an occasion do you think that will be for American football in this country?
I think it'll be really cool because it’ll give people a chance to properly experience the sport in a way that they probably wouldn't have the chance to do otherwise. It's one thing to watch it on TV, but you don't feel the atmosphere anywhere near as much. I'm particularly excited for my friends and my family, and just people who have been following my journey and American football in general, to be able to experience that.
What would your advice be to others who are maybe thinking about getting into the sport?
The way to make it happen is through an unbelievable amount of hard work. If you’re happy to put that in then go for it. I think a lot of people say they’re willing to do that because they love sport, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll enjoy being a professional athlete, because it's a lot of pressure and it requires a lot of sacrifices. So the best advice I can give is to first honestly ask yourself if you want to put the work in, and if you do just devise a plan and execute it, do your research. Ask yourself, what do I need to do to get to where I need to be? Who do I need to talk to? What do I need to work on? Answer those questions and you’ll be on the right path.
I know you’ve been going back to places like your old sixth form to talk about American football. How important is it to use your platform to promote the game back on home soil?
It's a massive motivator for me, not just in terms of encouraging people to take up American football, but for inspiring people who want to do things that are unconventional. I've always been a dreamer with everything I do, and I like for others to be dreamers too. I was definitely called crazy a couple of times for following this career path, so I've got a lot of compassion for people who are probably being called crazy for what they want to do.
Finally, what are your aspirations for your career? What would you like to have achieved in, say, ten years’ time?
I'm careful about making long-term plans, but I want to be the best NFL player I can be, and I believe I can be a really good NFL player. I think I have the intelligence and the athleticism to become the best version of me, whatever that looks like. I don't yet know what that will mean, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a very good level.
