We were lucky to catch up with Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ebiye Jeremy, appreciate you joining us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
In Rio in 2016 I was young into my international career and in a game against the Brazilian National Team I scored a goal and celebrated with a now signature celebration in which I perform a forwards dive into a roll. Seeing this, the game’s announcer started calling me “The American Ninja” to the chuckle of the crowd and would repeat that nickname whenever I would score the remainder of that game. With the reception I received from the local crowd I shortly thereafter changed all of my public social mediums to @HandballNinja hoping to capitalize off of the nickname I was given in jest by one announcer in one game. Handball Ninja merchandise is now owned and worn by people all across the globe. Some opportunities in life come suddenly, pass quickly, and aren’t necessarily readily apparent. There is a power in riding the momentum of a great event, learning how to catch waves, metaphorically speaking, when the timing is right.
Ebiye Jeremy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma and I am a multi-sport international athlete and content creator. I have represented the United States in both handball and rugby and have competed in 23 different countries/territories since commencing my international career in 2014. In the years preceding 2014 I worked in the Portland, Oregon area as a sports model and featured in campaigns for brands like Nike, Adidas, New Era, and Powerade. My brand @HandballNinja, commencing in 2016, merged my experiences creating professional sports commercial content with my international athletic playing career.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
Considering that I am blessed to be where I am now I wouldn’t change any major thing, good and bad, about the journey I’ve been on and would chose it all over again. I very much feel as if I am doing what I was created to do as a human being.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
What gets you from point A to point B won’t necessarily get you from point B to point C. There are times being competitive with your contemporaries is necessary, and there are times where that is unnecessarily destructive. Conversely there are times being altruistic is beneficial, but it can be compromising focusing on giving when your own cup is depleted. I think understanding there is a time and place for everything and the benefit or detriment of a given construct or thing isn’t binary. A given workout can provide benefits for a time and can have diminishing effects or even lead to injury at a different time when you have a different body and mind, for example.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.handballninja.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/handballninja
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/HandballNinja
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebiye-jeremy-udo-udoma-b16ba1177
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/HandballNinja
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@HandballNinja