Arike Ogunbowale road from Milwaukee reach WNBA Dallas Wings dey rooted inside one Nigerian-American family wey put sport and discipline for di centre of dia daily life. Her papa and mama raise am for house wey tie deep to Yoruba heritage, and her first name, Arike, na traditional Yoruba name wey mean "something wey you see and cherish." Di family dey attend one local Nigerian church and dem dey gather for community picnic wey dey last late into di evening.
Her papa, Gregory Ogunbowale, grow up for Nigeria, where e play competitive soccer and rugby before e serve for di Nigerian military. E later move go United States for higher education, dey drive taxi to take care of imself while e dey study, and e later become principal of Washington High School of Information Technology for Milwaukee. E coach Arike for soccer when she be small pikin, and from small age e teach her respect and discipline.
Her mama, Yolanda Ogunbowale, be three-sport athlete for high school for volleyball, basketball and softball, and she pitch for DePaul University softball team, di Blue Demons. Yolanda be Arike first basketball coach, wey teach her di basic rules, footwork and passing. She still get one strict pre-game ritual, wey make Arike call before every match.
Arike na di last born of three, and she grow up dey play rough games with her two older brothers. Her brother Dare Ogunbowale enta University of Wisconsin as walk-on cornerback before e switch to running back, collect scholarship and captaincy, and later play for NFL for Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans.
