GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) - John Mkyombwe’s days at Ottawa Hills High School often look like this: AP classes, choir, art, JROTC, yearbook, and, eventually, soccer.
By the time Mkyombwe reaches the soccer field, his day is already well underway. Practice runs from 4 to 7 p.m., and when it’s over, he heads home to rest before doing it all again the next day.
It’s a busy life for the Ottawa High School senior, but if you ask Mkyombwe what part of his day he looks forward to most, the answer is easy: soccer.
“When I was a kid, soccer was the thing I looked forward to. Now, it still is,” he said.
For Mkyombwe, that love started when he was four years old. Growing up in Nampula, Mozambique, soccer was a way of life. From ages five to ten, he played goalkeeper with older players in his community, learning to compete, adapt, and hold his own.
His journey eventually took him thousands of miles from where it began.
Mkyombwe immigrated to the United States at age eleven. His family first landed in Arizona before his father found a better job opportunity in Michigan.
Through each of those transitions, soccer remained Mkyombwe’s constant.
Today, in addition to playing for the Bengals, Mkyombwe plays for Michigan Power Futbal Academy and is exploring opportunities to continue his soccer career after high school. He dreams of playing professionally or semi-professionally, and he hopes to play college soccer while pursuing a degree in pre-law.
But soccer is only one part of the person Mkyombwe is becoming.
He is also part of Ottawa’s JROTC program, where he has learned first aid, CPR, and leadership skills. A summer JROTC camp a couple of months ago challenged him to build the discipline he now carries into the rest of his life. He also participates in choir, performing at school and community events throughout the year.
And of course, there is family.
Mkyombwe has an older brother and three younger siblings, so he makes time to be home and help where he can. Sundays are reserved for church, an important family tradition shaped by his mother’s faith.
With so many commitments competing for his time, Mkyombwe has learned to be intentional about what comes first. Soccer may be the part of his day he looks forward to most, but he knows his responsibilities extend beyond the field.
“I love soccer so much that it’s easy to do that,” Mkyombwe said of his tendency to put soccer first. “But I make school and family a priority too.”
That same commitment can be found in teammate Levi Kuiper.
Kuiper, a senior at City High Middle School, arrives at school with his soccer gear already packed. On game days, he may leave during sixth or seventh hour so he can get to Ottawa Hills, warm up with his teammates, and board the bus for competition.
While each game ends with the final whistle, Kuiper’s soccer routine does not.
“I play soccer every day, even on the weekends,” he said.
Sometimes that means pickup games. Sometimes it means training by himself. During the offseason, it means running, lifting, and playing futsal. The Bengals team also continues conditioning year-round, so winter brings more time in the weight room and on the futsal court with his teammates.
It’s a commitment that can make the intersection of school and sports challenging. Kuiper knows he has less time for homework than students who aren't involved in athletics, so he has developed a simple rule: find a way to get the work done.
His dedication has paid off. Kuiper earned All-Conference soccer honors as a junior and has found success at multiple positions, including recognition as a top striker as a freshman. Now, he plays center back, helping anchor the Ottawa defense—all while maintaining a 4.8 weighted GPA.
Behind much of that success has been his dad, who introduced him to soccer as a child and continues to encourage him today.
“My dad has motivated me through my entire soccer career,” Kuiper said. “He got me into soccer when I was a kid, and he’s been there for me since.”
For both Mkyombwe and Kuiper, the soccer field is where their paths meet, but their stories extend far beyond it.
One arrived in Michigan from across the world and found belonging through soccer and community. The other has spent nearly his entire life chasing the game, supported by a father who helped him fall in love with it.
Their paths to Ottawa Hills may have been different, but both chose GRPS over their districts of residence for the same reason: they saw an opportunity to thrive. On the field and in the classroom, both are making the most of their time as Bengals student-athletes.