FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — College athletes have a lot of responsibilities, from practice and game play to keeping up in the classroom. However, one NAU football player knows a different kind of responsibility: being a dad.
Football has been Tausagafou “Fou” Ho Ching’s life since he was 3 years old.
“Being out at practice is what we all dreamed about,” Fou said. “We all dreamed about playing Division I football.”
After high school, he took a break to serve on a two-year mission trip in Barcelona, where he met his wife, Lucinda.
“He asked me on a date, and I don’t know, the rest is kind of history,” said Lucinda.
They married in 2022 and had their first child. Life at home was great but then Fou, who had been playing football in Houston, saw his coaching staff leave, and he hit the transfer portal.
“Kind of nerve-wracking with a son and a wife,” Fou said. “We were looking for more than just a football team for sure.”
He turned his sights on NAU and after talking with the coaching staff, he knew Flagstaff would be their new home.
“Coaching for them isn’t just winning football games and that was important to me,” Fou said. “It’s about the development of the young men that are in the program. They weren’t just recruiting me, they were recruiting my family.”
That was truly tested last Thanksgiving during playoff practice, when he got a text that Lucinda was in labor.
“He said, ‘Fou you gotta go,’” Fou said. “So I jog to the locker room and everyone stops the warm-up and cheers like ‘yeah, yeah.’”
Both said there are challenges, but it’s the support from staff and their love as parents that keep them going.
“He’s just the most present, loving father and husband ever,” said Lucinda.
This is Fou’s last season, but he’s not done with football. His next goal is coaching.
“Football’s awesome,” he said. “Like it’s a great sport but what it allows young men to learn is what I want to help.”
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2025 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.