Hockey&Tea.Com Interview: Emeka Valentine-Okoli

The SHL S48 draft is now over and most teams are now integrating their promising bunch of prospects into their ranks. One of which is the is the Colorado Raptors Right Winger, based from our very own UK, Emeka Valentine Okoli. We are here with him right now.

H&T: Emeka, it's great to see you again when we weren't even sure of our own name.

EVO: Haha, maybe it's because of your polite demeanour when asking the tough questions, as well as being willing to talk to the unknowns.

H&T: That we try to do. Now then, first of all, congratulations on being drafted to the SHL, and to New England of all places. How do you feel about being drafted into such an established organisation in the Wolfpack.

EVO: Without mincing my words, if feels like the beginning of a great new challenge, and you know me, I adore challenges, I mean, to make the SHL from my background and from starting at such a late age has been a major challenge from the start, but here I am. And to be drafted by a successful hockey team in New England, it makes these challenges worthwhile. Of course, disregarding the PTSD the Patriots gave to the Falcons, New England is a beautiful region and the community has been very accepting of me, which gives me so much in terms of positive vibes.

H&T: Glad to see that you like New England, however, to be able to get some play time, you will have to compete with more accomplished young names on the wing such as the elder EVO: Eko van Otter, Slap McShotty, Dick Clapper and erm…….excuse my pronunciation, Przemysław…….Brzeszczyczkiewicz….I may need to start asking Blazej for polish lessons. And that’s not even mentioning Ravyn Tedisko of the Montreal Militia, one of the darlings of the S48 draft.

EVO: I am very aware of the task I have at hand, and everyone of them are solid players to say the very least. However, I have no intentions of backing down, and I hope to make my mark with the Wolfpack. Also very amusing that there is another EVO in the league. We may have talked only recently, but he is a very fun person to be with.

H&T: Now, it has been reported in a separate interview with you and Izem Abioye that you would both like to be drafted to the same team, and even further back, you mentioned that you would like to team up with Savoli Tankovic, the same player who has inspired you to play hockey. Now we know that Abioye went a couple of picks behind you to West Kendall, which for all intents and purposes, should be call Miami, but then again, Anaheim, and we also have no idea of where Savoli Tankovic will end up after what happened with him in Edmonton. There is also the spat between the two when Abioye’s St. Louis Scarecrows squared up against Tankovic’s Detroit Falcons in the Second Round of the S47 SMJHL Playoffs. Any thoughts on how you think you can manage this tightrope?

EVO: Well, this isn’t an instant fix, I’ll have to admit. Savoli has always been a guy who goes in guns blazing and not giving a damn, which has contributed to his current growth and success. Izem, on the other hand, may seem like a chill guy, which I find true, he has never been one to shy from a challenge when confronted with one. I do persist, I hope to play with both of them and it’s a shame I couldn’t pair up with either of them, but I have no qualms about it and it won’t affect my input on an individual level.

H&T: Ever the optimist, are ya?

EVO: Haha, you have to be in this environment. Even though the Raptors came in dead last and got bounced in the 1st round, we all believe that we will contend next season, better, stronger and sharper. And to the fact that we wish to bring success to both our old GM, Seb Frost, and to our new GM, Johnny Hamilton (May he live prosperous and not meet some guy with the surname: Burr)

H&T: One more question from me, and I know it’s not anything to with the S48 draft, but in that same interview with Eddie Morozov and Izem Abioye, you were asked if you wish to bring Africa into the IIHF, to which you both said yes. I am aware that you come from African origins, your mum is Nigerian and your dad comes from a Ghanaian and Nigerian lineage, but how do you think you can bring ice hockey to a continent that barely, if ever,sees any ice.

EVO: Simple, exposure. More Africans are being exposed to the outside world, from music to business, from culture to sports. As we get exposed more often, we want to do such things. I would point to Ski Dubai, where there is an indoor skiing center in the middle of the desert. African countries are growing in economy and will be better able to not only afford media capabilities to watch ice hockey from their homes, but will also be afford the resources to build ice hockey arenas to play in. Then, at that stage, I believe that with more Africans playing ice hockey, we will be better represented and will encourage more of us to play the game and help it grow. A cycle of such that will bring ice hockey to more unknown places.

H&T: Thank you very much for answering these questions. Anything you want to say before we end the interview.

EVO: Just one. In my rookie season, I was honestly nervous, I mean, think about it. Some guy from the middle of the UK who has only played ice hockey for the best part of 3 years has made it into the SMJHL and is a potential SHL draftee? Inconceivable, I mean, let’s be real; to only pick up hockey when those around you have played it for at least 2 or more years, yet to make it to the SHL is something that can be considered a dream to those same players. However, now that I have proven that I belong here, I can grow with no restriction. I don’t know if I have stated this before, but my hockey revolves around contributing to the team, and I have no intentions of stopping that trend. You want me to be a scorer, I’ll be the guy. Want a face-off win, put me in coach. Want some defense, I’ll steal your pucks like how Ja’Ag steals my pilot helmet so often I now wear it in practice session, and will try and find a way to wear in game. Sorry, went off on a tangent. What I am trying to say is this:

The shackles are off. Game on SHL.

H&T: Haha, thanks for the interview EVO. What tea do you have and may I have some

EVO: Earl Grey, Builder’s or Berry fusions?

H&T: Classic Earl Grey please.

(Interview over, subscribe to Hockey&Tea.com to stay up to date)

Code:

Word Count = 1466 / 2X SHL Draft Media

Sig Credit: Flappy (EVO) and Skolpaddor (RESO)

EMEKA VALENTINE-OKOLI/PLAYER

First SMJHL Goal: Colorado Raptors, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Mikelis Ozoliņš 4, Loki Odinsson 3) at 3:12, 2nd Period (GWG) / SMJHL S47 Game 47 Day 12: Colorado Raptors vs Detroit Falcons
First SHL Goal: Texas Renegades, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Josef Kubinec 5, Ricky Spanish 4) at 16:23, 2nd Period / SHL S51 Game 71 Day 16: Edmonton Blizzard vs Texas Renegades

Eternal , onwards we roll

And Let's Retire at the Pinnacle

*applause* go EVO!!

M'Baku Olubori || #81 || RW

Drafted 4th overall in S64 SMJHL Draft by Regina

Drafted 95th overall in S65 SHL Draft by Baltimore

Won S68 Ryan Jesster Trophy (Rookie of the Year)

Cassius Darrow || #81 || RD
-------------------------------------------
SMJHL Stats:
S44 - S46 || COL  || GP: 150 || G: 15 || A: 85 || P: 100 || +/-: +1 || SB: 195
S47 - S55 || BUF  || GP: X || G: X || A: X || P: X || +/-: X || SB: X
S56 - S63 || SEA  || GP: 0 || G: 0 || A: 0 || P: 0 || +/-: 0 || SB: 0
-------------------------------------------
Drafted 8th overall in S44 SMJHL Draft to Colorado
Co-Winner of S44 Zach Miller Trophy
Drafted 4th overall in S45 SHL Draft to Buffalo
Named S45 & S46 Captain of the Colorado Raptors
3-time Challenge Cup Champion (S46, S48, S55)
Named Assistant Captain of Buffalo Stampede S53-S55
Drafted 1st overall S56 Expansion Draft by Seattle
Named Captain of the Seattle Argonauts in S56
Bojo Biscuit Winner S57, S58

Baltimore Platoon GM || S64 - present

SHL Executioner || S62 - S65
SHL Awards Committee || S57 - S66
SHL Historian Committee || S53 - S64
SHL Head Office || S60 - S61
SMJHL Awards Head || S48 - S57
Colorado Raptors GM || S48 - S53
Colorado Raptors Co-GM || S47
Team Germany Federation Head || S44 - S46
SMJHL HO Member - S45-S46
SMJHL Head Office Intern - S44 

---

Thank you karey, OrbitingDeath Ragnar, and sköldpaddor for sigs! 

awesome work young EVO!! would love to see a pan-African team in IIHF sometime soon.

also can i have some tea please

thanks @Carpy48 and @frithjofr and @rum_ham and @Julio Tokolosh and @Briedaqueduc for the sigs

  

awesome work young EVO!! would love to see a pan-African team in IIHF sometime soon.

also can i have some tea please

Like before: Earl Grey, Builder's or Berry Fusions?

Sig Credit: Flappy (EVO) and Skolpaddor (RESO)

EMEKA VALENTINE-OKOLI/PLAYER

First SMJHL Goal: Colorado Raptors, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Mikelis Ozoliņš 4, Loki Odinsson 3) at 3:12, 2nd Period (GWG) / SMJHL S47 Game 47 Day 12: Colorado Raptors vs Detroit Falcons
First SHL Goal: Texas Renegades, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Josef Kubinec 5, Ricky Spanish 4) at 16:23, 2nd Period / SHL S51 Game 71 Day 16: Edmonton Blizzard vs Texas Renegades

Eternal , onwards we roll

And Let's Retire at the Pinnacle

awesome work young EVO!! would love to see a pan-African team in IIHF sometime soon.

also can i have some tea please

Like before: Earl Grey, Builder's or Berry Fusions?

No real preference, just don't put milk in it

thanks @Carpy48 and @frithjofr and @rum_ham and @Julio Tokolosh and @Briedaqueduc for the sigs

  

Like before: Earl Grey, Builder's or Berry Fusions?

No real preference, just don't put milk in it

Right, Berry, no milk.

Sig Credit: Flappy (EVO) and Skolpaddor (RESO)

EMEKA VALENTINE-OKOLI/PLAYER

First SMJHL Goal: Colorado Raptors, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Mikelis Ozoliņš 4, Loki Odinsson 3) at 3:12, 2nd Period (GWG) / SMJHL S47 Game 47 Day 12: Colorado Raptors vs Detroit Falcons
First SHL Goal: Texas Renegades, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Josef Kubinec 5, Ricky Spanish 4) at 16:23, 2nd Period / SHL S51 Game 71 Day 16: Edmonton Blizzard vs Texas Renegades

Eternal , onwards we roll

And Let's Retire at the Pinnacle