Dec. 20, 2010
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF football may be focused on its preparations for the 52nd AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Georgia, but a few Knights spent some time with UCFAthletics.com to reflect on their favorite moments growing up during the holiday season.
Sr. LB Chance Henderson - Conyers, Ga.
What was your favorite holiday present you received?
"When the first Xbox came out and everyone wanted it, my parents got me one for Christmas and I was the happiest kid ever. That is probably my finest memory."
Is there a gift that you've given that you remember the most?
"As I get older I buy my parents stuff every year, and I bought my mom some Juicy Couture perfume two years ago and it cost a lot, but she loved it."
Did your family always stay at home or travel for the holidays?
"Sometimes we traveled to my grandparents' house which is in the mountains in north Georgia. It was pretty cold and usually snowed during Christmas time. We kind of alternated from year to year so we would stay at our house the following year. Our family always came together for Christmas."
Preparing for a bowl game is certainly exciting, but is it tough at times not having long breaks for the holidays like you had in elementary school and high school?
"As you get older you have different responsibilities and different priorities, but we still make sure we get a chance to be with our family around the holidays."
Jr. DE Darius Nall - Douglasville, Ga.
What was your favorite holiday present you received?
"My first Nintendo 64. That was a good system! I played all the Marios and James Bond and the Golden Gun. I still have it and whenever I get the chance I love to play it."
Is there a gift that you've given that you remember the most?
"After my surgery as a sophomore I gave our trainer Mary (Vander Heiden) a teddy bear for all of the hard work she put in and sticking up with me."
Did your family always stay at home or travel for the holidays?
"We always stayed at home and had a big seafood fest. That is our big thing for Christmas, and I can't wait this year to have some time with the family and have some seafood."
Preparing for a bowl game is certainly exciting, but is it tough at times not having long breaks for the holidays like you had in elementary school and high school?
"Back in high school it was good (to have a lot of time off) but this is another level of football and it's something I love to do. I also love that time with my family, and I'll get that chance, but right now we're focused on football."
Sr. DT Wes Tunuufi Sauvao - Leesville, La.
Did your family always stay at home or travel for the holidays?
"My family was a military family so my dad was almost always gone. So we always had a later holiday and that was cool because it made it special since we waited as a family to open up the gifts. My list gets longer and longer as I wait, so I usually want so many things!"
What was your favorite holiday present you received?
"I was big into Power Rangers so I wanted all of the Power Ranger toys. One year my dad was in Oregon and we were in California so we went to visit him, and he hid all of the presents under the bed in the hotel room. So he told me that there was something under the bed, and I looked down to see all of our presents."
What are you asking for during the holidays this year?
"A win. From my family, though, I'm always asking for video games and clothes. Now that I'm older they just give me money so I can go buy myself whatever I want, and that's cool!"
Sr. DE Bruce Miller - Canton, Ga.
What was your favorite holiday present you received?
"LEGOs. I love LEGOs. Any LEGOs that I got where I could put them together and build stuff made me happy. I don't have them anymore. I wish I did. If I still had them I would play with them today."
Did your family always stay at home or travel for the holidays?
"We always went to Disney World every year. We traveled to Disney World two times a year - once during the summer and again during Christmas break. We went from when I was about 4-5 until right before I came to UCF. Even during my junior and senior years of high school I was coming here with my family and some of our friends."
Sr. WR Jamar Newsome - St. Petersburg, Fla.
What was your favorite holiday present you received?
"My favorite gift was probably Super Nintendo. I remember having Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong which was a really fun game, and I loved all of the Marios."
Is there a gift that you've given that you remember the most?
"I was always excited to give my parents macaroni stuff that I made in arts and crafts class in elementary school. So I had a lot of macaroni projects and cards which made me very excited to give away."
What are you asking for during the holidays this year?
"Definitely a win at the bowl game. But something else I want this year is just continued success."
Did your family always stay at home or travel for the holidays?
"We either went to my grandma's house or went to another family member's house. We usually switched it up every year. This year it's back at my house."
Preparing for a bowl game is certainly exciting, but is it tough at times not having long breaks for the holidays like you had in elementary school and high school?
"It's not as tough now because I've been here for five years. So I'm used to the transition of going home and coming right back. My family is used to it too, and they're happy with having me for a couple of days."
No. 24 UCF will go "Bowlin' on Beale Street" when the Knights face Georgia on Dec. 31 in Memphis in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. For all of the latest bowl game ticket and travel information, head to UCFBowl.com or call the UCF Athletics ticket office at (407) 823-1000.