When Austin seniors Lonyjera Okal and OJ Cham first met, they were half a world away in Kenya. 

Playing soccer in Austin was not anything they had planned, but as fate would have it, Austin soccer would bring them back together after Cham moved from Kenya to Austin in his fifth-grade year. Okal would come to Austin when the two were juniors and he immediately reconnected with Cham, his childhood friend.

“We hang out all of the time,” Okal said of Cham. “When I came here it was like it was my home. OJ was here to show me around and have me meet the guys on the team. We had a great time on the team.”

It was a big day for Cham and Okal on Monday as they each signed their national letter-of-intent to play soccer at Iowa Lakes, a Division NJCAA I school in Spencer, Iowa. Austin senior midfielder Sam Bailey also signed on to play soccer Luther College, a Division III school located in Decorah, Iowa. Bailey said he couldn’t be happier for the two, having played with Okal and Cham as the three players who helped lead the Packers to its best season in school history this past fall all cemented their college futures.

“It was a brotherhood,” Bailey said of the team that won the school’s first ever Big Nine title and took third in the Minnesota Class A Boys State Soccer Tournament. “I’ve been able to watch [Cham and Okal] get better and better and it’s really exciting to see them go on to the next level. I’m hoping to watch a couple of their games.”

Cham and Bailey were midfielders for the Packers and Okal was a big time scoring forward. While Cham connected with Okal on plenty of passes throughout the past two years, it wasn’t the first time the two had to work together. When they lived together in Kenya, the two were teammates in a much different way. 

“We used to catch birds together,” Cham said of Okal. “That’s the first time I remember our teamwork coming through. We would catch them and sell them to people or give them to our parents. Here people shoot turkeys, we would trap turkeys.”

Cham was ecstatic when Okal moved to Austin two years ago and he’s also enjoyed playing with Bailey throughout his soccer career.

“I’m so glad [LJ] came here. He came here at the right time, because I got to play with him for two years here,” Cham said. “Sam is my brother and I love that guy. He played a big part of my life. Whenever I need him, he’s always there, on the field and off the field. We both have a competitive nature and we love that about each other.”

While Austin used to have trouble sending soccer players to the college ranks, that is about to change. Austin grad Matias Parada played his freshman season for Luther last season and will be back this year and Austin grad Abel Gebrekiros played for Iowa Lakes last season and he will be back next year as well. Austin grad Ochan Ochogi, Cham’s cousin, is also set to play for Iowa Lakes next year.

“We can’t wait to make that reunion,” Cham said. “I really appreciate Ochan, Abel and Matias for starting the movement of Austin soccer and I think it’s going to get better. Now our players have a chance to go further in life. Going to college means everything to me.”