Six years removed from his time as a professional athlete, Alex Ogbongbemiga has shifted his focus to the next generation. Read More
Former CFL player turns attention to helping people to reach their goals
Former CFL player turns attention to helping people to reach their goals
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Six years removed from his time as a professional athlete, Alex Ogbongbemiga has shifted his focus to the next generation.
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As owner and coaching director of the SMART Performance Training Centre & Clinic in Calgary, he is committed to helping young athletes develop their skills, discipline and mindset to set them up for success.
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Alex grew up in what he calls a ‘football haven’ — Houston, Texas. Its sports culture was militaristic, and structure was ingrained into his life as a young athlete.
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Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Alex and his younger brother, Amen, moved to the U.S. with their parents as children.
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Just as Alex was embarking on his college football career, the family moved north to Calgary.
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“We had parents who gave up a lot for us to be where we are,” Alex said. “Seeing that as young men, we both knew whatever we’re doing, we’re all in. Control what you can control, which is to work hard, give good effort and the rest will work itself out.”
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Both brothers saw their hard work translate into great success. Alex had his first taste when he played for the University of Calgary’s football team, the Calgary Dinos.
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The Dinos won the Hardy Trophy as winners of the Canada West Conference in each of his three college seasons, extending the team’s streak to six consecutive years.
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Selected 36th overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 2016 CFL draft, he would go on to play for the Roughriders, Eskimos and Lions over three seasons.
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Sharing lessons with young athletes
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A series of injuries, including a car accident, ended Ogbongbemiga’s career earlier than he had hoped.
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“I feel like it got taken away from me at my prime as a young man, and so that was tough. But the transition to doing what I’m doing right now has been fantastic.”
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Whether you’re an athlete or just looking to work on your health, Alex stressed that the SMART Performance Centre is for everyone.
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“We’re here to help anybody achieve their most meaningful goals. We’ve been open for 10 months now, and we get people from different walks of life that come in here with different health goals,” he said.
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When it comes to coaching athletes, Alex draws on lessons he learned from former coaches and mentors such as former Eskimos coach Carson Walch and his high school coach Allen Aldridge.
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Among these lessons, he emphasizes the values of being a good person, controlling what you can control and understanding that it is a privilege to go through adversity. In his words: “It means you’re alive. It means you’re here.”