Brian Mada Already Making Waves at DePaul

The Student Athlete Cohort at Education Matters works with highly determined students who wish to study at U.S. universities while bringing their sport to a higher level.  Brian Mada, formerly of St Faith’s Mission in Rusape, exemplifies the ethos of the cohort.  Self-coached, he woke daily to take himself to a self-styled jump pit in a field on the outskirts of his school and train, using a training schedule he had downloaded from What’s App.

Brian represented Zimbabwe several times during this A level years, including winning a Silver Medal at the African Junior Athletics Championships in March 2015.  He was named  SSN’s Student Athlete of the Year for 2014.

The Student Athlete Cohort helped Brian to negotiate the seemingly complicated world of NCAA Eligibility, recruitment and admission requirements.  Now a freshman at Depaul University in Chicago, Brian is studying under a full Division 1 track and field scholarship.

In the middle of his first track season, he has already brought glory to his school.  Brian has been named “Field Athlete of the Week” for the Big East Conference three times during this, his initial indoor track season.  With a triple jump of 15,07, Brian recently won gold at a meet in Indiana.  He is currently preparing for Conference-wide meet this upcoming weekend (26-28 February 2016).

Asked about his success in track this first season during all of the adjustment to being a university student in the U.S., Brian simply stated “I have learned to put in the hard work, trust my body more and question less.”