Tackling His Future One Goal At a Time

Darius Chukwuemeka earned notoriety for his skill on the football field, but his focus in the classroom drove every decision he made.   

Darius Chukwuemeka is known for making quick, smart decisions before a stadium filled with people when a football game is on the line. But the thought of giving the valedictorian’s speech at his Smith High School graduation filled him with anxiety.  

Chukwuemeka (pronounced chook-wu-meka), goes by “DC,” and exudes a calm, focused presence. He was an All-Conference running back for Smith and will attend Sacred Heart University, a private institution in Connecticut, on a full scholarship to play football. He signed with the Division I school for both its football and mechanical engineering programs.  

While he gained notoriety beyond Smith for his football prowess, Chukwuemeka’s goal of becoming a mechanical engineer was established well before he became a D1 football recruit. In the classroom, his teachers describe him as curious and attentive. Coaches and teachers commend him on his work ethic and problem-solving skills.  

His path to a free ride to college wasn’t always clear. Along the way, he suffered sports-related injuries and he had four football coaches over four years at Smith. Through everything, his mom taught him these important lessons that he planned to weave into his valedictorian speech: 

“Control the controllable and God puts you on this path for a reason,” he says.  

Goal-Driven 

Chukwuemeka has wanted to be a mechanical engineer since the eighth grade. That goal has informed his decisions about high school and college. His parents both have strong backgrounds in math and science. His father is an accountant, his mother a private practice physician, and both have influenced him academically. Chukwuemeka attended elementary and middle school at Westchester Country Day School, a private nonsectarian school just outside of High Point. His search to find a school that could prepare him for a college mechanical engineering program led him to Smith.  

“More people need to know about the engineering program at Smith and what it brings,” he says. 

He credits his math and engineering teachers at Smith for guiding him. His tendency to solve problems too quickly sometimes meant he skipped steps or rushed the process. They helped him pay attention to details.  

“The answers will be right in front of me. I’ll just be looking past it because I’m trying to go to the next question,” he says. “I had to learn to slow down and take my time.” 

Vernita Hill, a CTE teacher at The Signature Career Academy of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering at Smith High, taught Chukwuemeka each of his four years there. The engineering teacher describes him as respectful, intelligent and curious. 

“He’s very attentive and receptive to receiving any information that will benefit his learning,” she says. “It’s very rare to come across a student like Darius, who truly illustrates being a student first, then an athlete second.”  

Although his opportunities to play football were a major factor in his college decision, he also looked for strong mechanical engineering programs. Before signing with Sacred Heart, he toured the engineering department and learned about how they helped prepare students for jobs. Students there have secured internships with companies like IBM, Lockheed Martin and NBCUniversal.  

At Smith, CTE students gain hands-on, real-world industry experience through problem-solving activities and exposure to equipment such as 3-D printers, laser engravers and robots. A majority of students either pursue engineering at the post-secondary level or transition into the industry. He feels ready for a college-level engineering program because of Smith, Chukwuemeka says.  

A Cerebral Player 

He’s had four coaches over four years at Smith, and Chukwuemeka says he’s learned from each one. He could have played football anywhere, but he stayed for the academic program at Smith.  

His freshman year coach struggled with health issues and couldn’t always be present with the team. From that, Chukwuemeka learned that self-care and health are important. His second coach instilled discipline, which he continues to value. His senior year coach, Parris Baxter, taught them how to be a team. In addition to challenging them in practice, he also created bonding experiences to establish trust and friendship.  

“He told us, ‘These are your brothers. Build a relationship. These are the people you’re going to be playing with on Friday night, so you need to count on them,’” Chukwuemeka says.  

Chukwuemeka says some players left for more stable programs at other schools. But he remained for what he gained in the classroom. 

“I really loved engineering, and football was kind of an addition,” he says. “I could have played football anywhere, but I couldn’t do engineering everywhere. And knowing that I had teachers that cared is what kept me at Smith.” 

“Despite playing under four different coaches, his goals, mindset and effort have never changed,” Baxter says. “That says a lot about his character, resilience and commitment to growth.” 

Chukwuemeka started playing football at around 6 or 7-years-old with Pop Warner, the largest youth football program in the world. Back then, he was intimidated by the older players, who were stronger and faster. Each year, he questioned whether he’d return the next season. He finished his high school football career as an All-Area, All-Conference and Offensive Player-of-the-Year and is able to play multiple positions— wide receiver, quarterback and running back.  

“He truly wants to be great. There’s a switch that flips when the moment gets big and he never shies away from competition or pressure,” Baxter says. “He hates losing and genuinely believes that he can make a play at any moment.” 

Chukwuemeka also played basketball at Smith and won a state championship his junior year. He could have graduated early, but he stayed, hoping to win another state championship. The most important lesson sports taught him: Time management and discipline. 

“You might not always have time to go throw the football when you have homework that’s due by midnight,” he says. “I had multiple injuries in sports, but I learned to not quit and keep your head, your mental space right, and be able to fight through it.” 

The Sacred Heart Pioneers have a successful program, with six Northeast Conference (NEC) championships. This year they joined the highly competitive Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) with a coach that’s in his 15th season with the program. Baxter says Chukwuemeka is strong for his size—5 “9,” 180 pounds—and is one of the hardest workers in the weight room and on the field. 

“He’s a cerebral player who picks things up quickly and is extremely coachable,” Baxter says. “He works hard to execute exactly what’s asked of him and consistently gives strong effort.” 

Control the Controllables 

Another lesson Chukwuemeka learned from his mom was “don’t try to force something when it’s not there.”  

His dream had been to play for N.C. State University. But to do so, he would have had to play at Fayetteville State University for three years, then transfer. There would be no guarantee he’d get to play, and he would have had to pay out of pocket for college.  

“So when I got a chance to play for free at Sacred Heart, I’m gonna take the free route and I’m gonna control what I can and make the most of what I have at Sacred Heart,” he says. 

Hill, his engineering teacher, says his strengths distinguish him from his peers. 

“He carries his discipline, character and determination very well,” she says. 

Through all the athletic injuries, coaching changes and recruiting process, Chukwuemeka never veered from his goals and stayed true to himself.  

“Even if things don’t go your way, look at the brighter side of it and control what you can control,” he says.  

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