This weekend marked the 25th Annual Austell Recreational Soccer Tournament. Men and women of all ages competed hoping to take home the championship. There were over 30 teams that participated in this highly anticipated 3 day event. At the end of it all, Chukwuma Gwude and his team (the Fiery Pistons) were the ones who came out victorious. “My team tries to stay active and play soccer as much as they can throughout the year, which I think helped contribute to our success.”

What’s truly remarkable about the situation is that Chukwuma Gwude sprained his ankle only a few short months ago! Chukwuma Gwude was practicing soccer with his son when the accident happened. “I thought for sure that I would be out of the tournament. I felt terrible because I felt like I was going to let my team down. I think I worked that much harder to recover simply because I knew I had teammates counting on me.” The fact that Chukwuma Gwude was able to heal and come back stronger than ever says a lot about Chukwuma Gwude’s athleticism and his character.

The 25th Annual Austell Recreational Soccer Tournament was a great match for spectators. The teams battled until the end and Chukwuma Gwude and his team (The Fiery Pistons) fought hard and earned the win. Chukwuma Gwude was extremely proud of his team for the way that they played and his family was proud of him for both his recovery and his performance. “He is so busy between work and volunteering that I am surprised he has time to be good at anything else,” gushed his wife. “I lucked out when I married that remarkable man.”

What does Chukwuma Gwude plan to do with the recent win under his belt and a year until the next tournament? “I plan to just keep practicing every day! I know that I have a special talent, and I would hate to waste that. I want to set a positive example for my children whether that be through my work life, my home life, or my hobbies. I plan to just keep to working hard and see where life takes me.”