Athlete Profile: Eric Kabeya

Athlete Profile: Eric Kabeya

Name: Eric Kabeya

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: March 11, 1990

Born: Kinshasa, Congo

Lives: Fort Worth, Texas

Age: 24

Height: 6”2

Weight: 250

Position: Outside Linebacker/D-End

Quote: Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ through strengthens me.”

Coach:  Coach Cochran

“Nothing is hard, things are challenging, but nothing is impossible to God.” These very words came out of 24-year-old senior Eric Kabeya as we sat and discussed his football career.

Eric Kabeya was inspired to play football while watching his older brother play the sport. As a second grader, Eric then grew to love the sport and then continued to be a student of the game. He began to model the great football players, Ray Lewis, Patrick Lewis, Lawrence Taylor who all play his position.

Kabeya grew up in the great state of Texas where he attended MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas and made the all district team. After high school, Kabeya attended three colleges. Kabeya spent two years at Sisco College in Abilene, Texas. It was here at his junior college that he made the all-conference team. Kabeya spent another one and a half years at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas, and Southern Nazarene University for another two years.

Kabeya, prepares for games by listening to an array of worship music. The music he listens to ranges from worship artists such as William Murphy, Donnie Mcclurkin, to Lecrae, and even cultural music from the roots of Africa.

Kabeya stays on a strict regiment that consists of him working out Monday through Friday for two and a half hours a day. His personal trainer, Ben Birmingham at the Key Health Institute in Edmond, Oklahoma, puts Kabeya on a series of workouts that are a combination of speed/ strength training, speed explosions and pro-agility workouts.

Kabeya loves football because, as he says, “Football relates to the integrity of a man on and off the field. You learn how to trust your teammates to succeed. You learn how to pay attention to detail as well as learn to be obedient to the rules on the field and in life.”

Beyond football, this sociology major enjoys the subject of Criminal Justice, his favorite book is the Bible, and his favorite TV shows are The Game, Friends, and Fresh Prince. His favorite movies are Lion King and Tarzan. Kabeya’s greatest achievement is receiving Defense MVP in the All star game in January of 2015.

His greatest support system comes from his Spiritual Father, who prays, mentors and has been a friend to him throughout his college career. Kabeya plays the drums in his spare time and loves spending time talking to people.

[author image=”http://echo.snu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMG_8842.jpg” ] Deanne Brodie-Mends, Staff Contributor She is majoring in Mass Communication with a minor in English. She enjoys writing, performing spoken word, attending Church, and spending quality time with friends and family. She describes herself as outgoing and enjoys making people smile. [/author]