GUELPH, Ont. – Throughout the 2020 fall semester, the University of Guelph Department of Athletics will be highlighting various members from our Gryphon varsity teams as part of our "BioSteel Student-Athlete Spotlight." This week's edition features
Guerschom Mukendi, a third-year student-athlete on the Gryphons men's rugby team who majors in human kinetics.
JOURNEY TO U of G & IN THE CLASSROOM
For third-year men's rugby standout Guerschom Mukendi, the journey to the University of Guelph was a long one. The human kinetics major, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spent most of his childhood in Namibia, residing in the capital city of Windhoek until the age of nine.
In 2009, Guerschom and his family made the move to Canada, where he and his parents, and his seven siblings (five brothers, two sisters), now call Stoney Creek home. When it came time to choose a university, Guerschom considered staying closer to home, applying to both McMaster and Brock, to give himself the option of commuting to school while still being able to live at home. But after being accepted to U of G's human kinetics program, Guerschom decided it was time to make the move to Guelph, a decision that he says was influenced in large part due to his love for the U of G campus.
"When I was playing Team Ontario rugby back in high school, I had the chance to come to the University of Guelph for team training camps," says Mukendi, who last season was named an OUA First Team All-Star with the Gryphons men's rugby team.
"I remember loving the feel of the campus, and after meeting with (Gryphons men's rugby head coach) Cory Hector, I knew this was the place for me." Guerschom's decision to major in Human Kinetics is something that he attributes to his passion for athletics, with the now 21-year-old aspiring to potentially pursue a career in physiotherapy following the completion of his undergrad. "Anything sort of job related to sports or physical activity has always interested me," says Mukendi, who is fluent in both English and French, while also being able to understand Swahili. "Whether it's personal training or athletic therapy or physiotherapy, I've always loved the idea of being able to one day work alongside individuals who share my passion for sports and athletics." The Stoney Creek native is currently planning on utilizing all five years of his OUA eligibility with the Gryphons men's rugby team, putting him on schedule to complete his undergrad in the Fall of 2022.
ATHLETICS
After twice representing Team Canada at the U20 level (summer of 2018 & 2019), Guerschom Mukendi earned OUA all-star status in just his second year with the Gryphons men's rugby program.
The 5-10, 245 lbs human kinetics major followed up a solid rookie season at the University of Guelph in 2018 with a strong sophomore campaign in 2019. Mukendi was a staple in the Gryphon lineup this past season at prop and has developed into a dynamic ball carrier with one of the top work-rates on the team. His incredible accomplishments on the rugby pitch may have never been realized if not for some convincing from a high school coach back in his days at Saltfleet District High School in Hamilton.
"I never really thought of myself as an athlete back then," admits Guerschom, who in Grade 9 was convinced to try out for his high school rugby team. "I remember my first game in high school, I came in off of the bench and was like, 'whoa, maybe I am pretty good at this!' and just fell in love with the sport from there."
Guerschom's first touch of the ball in high school resulted in an 80-metre run. Mukendi never looked back, excelling not just at the high school ranks, but also within Team Ontario and Rugby Canada's U18 and U19 levels, where Guerschom was invited to travel overseas for Team Canada tours in Ireland and Romania.
At the varsity level, Guerschom has helped lead the Gryphons to a pair of OUA silver medal finishes in his first two seasons. With his 2020 season canceled due to COVID-19, Guerschom remains committed to the men's rugby program, attending strength and conditioning sessions on Monday's and Wednesday's, with split-squad practices to limit numbers taking place on Tuesday's and Friday's.
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