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Kids On The Move: Ada Unachukwu

08/27/2008 - By by Teja Anderson

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RECORD-BREAKING TRACK STAR

Ada Unachukwu (pronounced Add-ah Una- chew-koo), at 17 years of age, is a running, jumping sensation!
 
Ada’s parents, Ebele and Dn, moved to Marlboro from Pennsylvania 10 years ago. Their number one criteria for choosing a community was the school system – only one of the top 10 school systems in New Jersey would be good enough for their children. Ada, her sister, Ijeoma (13), and brothers, Kenechi (15) and Nnamdi (9), are all delighted to call Marlboro home.
 
Ada started out at Marlboro “Rec” soccer and swimming, and also took many dance classes, but it was when she started running spring track at Marlboro Middle School that she found her true calling. By the time she ran in her very first high school track meet as a freshman on the varsity team and won her events, she had her coaches excited and her teammates’ respect. Now, entering her senior year at Marlboro High School, she has competed at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions (State Finals), the Penn Relays (where she won the triple jump), the Golden South Invitational, and the Nike Outdoor and Indoor National Championships, just to name a few. She also holds the Freehold Regional High School district record in the 55, 60, 200, 300, the 400 meter dashes (indoor) and the 100 and 400 meter dashes (outdoor), not to mention the long jump and 200 meter relay (indoor) and the 100 and 800 meter relays (outdoor). But it is her favorite event – the triple jump – that rocketed her into the halls of NJ athletic fame. With an indoor personal best of 38’ 5 1/4”, she holds the Monmouth County and Shore Conference record (6th all time in New Jersey) as well as the outdoor record – a staggering 40’ 0”(fourth all time in New Jersey)!
 
College recruiters quickly started lining up at this young athlete’s door. NCAA recruitment rules don’t allow for recruitment to begin until July 1 (3 days before Ada’s 17th birthday) of a student’s senior year. Not even 2 weeks in, Ada and her family were being bombarded with letters, phone calls, and some very tempting offers. Ada has yet to make up her mind about where she wants to go to college, but doesn’t want to go too far; she wants to be able to visit her close-knit family often. Ada looks to her high school coach, Mr. Sypniewski, for guidance. “He is a very nice coach; he is very fatherly…looks out for his athletes. He is the one who puts together all of our records and information and gives them to the colleges. He knows a lot about track and field,” Ada said gratefully.
 
Born in Nigeria, both Ebele and Dn attended college in the United States, where they met and fell in love. Although they knew nothing of the ethnic make up of Marlboro when they moved here, they found it to be both welcoming and diverse. When Ada was diagnosed with scoliosis of the spine in fifth grade, mom Ebele credits the teachers and students of Asher Holmes for being extremely supportive. “Every time Ada had gym, she would go down to the nurse’s office and the nurse would help her out of her brace so that she could participate, and then help her get it back on after. They were all really wonderful.” Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that is often diagnosed in children, and can be treated during adolescent growth with a hard plastic, corset-like brace that is worn for up to 24 hours a day until growth slows down or stops. Sometimes, however, surgery is necessary. Ada wore her brace for 16 hours a day for 5 years; thankfully it was successful, and she was able to stop wearing it her freshman year of high school, when she reached her current height of 5’ 8”. It certainly hasn’t hampered her athletic career.
 
So, while Ada continues to muse over the offers pouring in from prospective colleges, she enjoyed her summer by relaxing a bit, studying for her second round of SATs, being a Bible Camp counselor, and hanging out a bit at Great Adventure.
 
STATS
 
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
mom’s home cooking first, or any Carrabba’s
 
FAVORITE MUSICIAN
Michael W. Smith
 
FAVORITE MOVIE
The Passion of The Christ
 
PET PEEVE
people touching my ears
 
THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH
my grandparents on my dad’s side (who died before I got to know them) and Jesus  

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