Ame Imina-Uwagboe '17 Recruiting Profile

The difference between other recruits and me is that I am very determined.  I do not give up whenever I set myself a goal. Once I set an objective, I do not stop pursuing it until I have achieved it successfully. I have always been fascinated with soccer right from a very young age. Either playing it in a team or merely just bouncing it around. For me, it’s like an art. A player needs to make a move from one end, goes through an opponent, utilizes the opportunity and scores. Alternatively, he faces a threat from opposition and the ball is taken from him and the crowd applauds the skills of the players. This has been one of my greatest fascination of the sport.

Im currently on a Gap year right now working in the UK whilst also gaining more soccer experience and i can honestly say that i am continuously improving with every single game i play. I have already done one year at orange coast college now in California however decided to redshirt that year. My plan/goal is to head back in July 2019 to attend OCC for the 2019/20 season and then transfer to a 4 year D1/2 Uni on a soccer scholarship. The reason why i believe i deserve a soccer scholarship at a d1/2 level uni is because of my confidence and tendency to always push the extra mile and work harder than my teammates. During this gap year in the UK i have honestly learnt so much about soccer and very grateful that i was given the opportunity to join haringey borough u23. i was invited to a trial at this semi professional team and was successful which was a great boost to my confidence as i was playing and training with players that had been in soccer academies for the majority of there lives. This experience may have made me more confident but the most important part was that it taught me that age is nothing but a number and with lots of hard work i can become as good as any player my age or older. I am hoping for a scholarship offer for the 2020/2021 season/year and can promise that if i attend your college/uni i will make an impact. I am a centre back, thats the position I'm most effective in but more importantly I'm a very hard working athlete that can play soccer. however if needed in other positions such as outside back and cdm. I can step up and do so as i am versatile and with the right coaching i will continue to improve even more.

whenever i step foot onto the pitch I do my best to work hard with my team mates, as soccer is strictly a team effort. At junior school, I was an active member of the soccer team. In addition, I took part in tracks and field events, judo, etc. During that time, a family friend advised my parents to enroll me in a local soccer club (Selsdon football club) because of my physique and agility. On a different occasion that statement was echoed by my class tutor. This time he indicated that, it will enhance my personal development if I attend a sports college (UK High school).

These encouragements from my teachers and parents, combined with my determination enabled me to gain admission into Loughborough College. The college shares a world class sporting facilities with Loughborough University. The University is the designated training venue for most of the athletes representing Britain on a national level. I have ensured that I have used the facilities to the best of my ability. I feel very privileged to be given this wonderful opportunity.

I would have been very happy to continue at Loughborough University but the Collegiate system in the USA serves my objective better; in that it allows students to combine academics with athletics. For me, this is like having the best of both worlds because I can carry on with my studies and continue to play my dream sport; soccer.

Being involved in sporting activities from junior school, the 5 years spent at a senior boarding school and the local soccer clubs that I have attended have given me brilliant life experiences, discipline, good character and determination to pursue my passion; which is playing soccer. Essentially, the attributes deduced from these various disciplines would be transferred into the various areas of my life. For instance, it has enabled me to manage my college program, training and organizational life skills.

I ran the London Royal Parks Half Marathon and completing this event successfully; has helped further given me the empowerment and mind set to embark on this journey.   

My level of determination gives me an added advantage in matches as it allows me to react positively whilst under pressure. Indeed, I try to remain very focus on winning the game by playing and facilitating team effort. I know that soccer is a team’s sport and that there is no place in the team for players who believe that they can win a game on their own. This is why I make enormous effort to get on with my team mates. 

My ethos is “give your team 100% until the final whistle is blown”. Thus, I view the game as nil score even when my team is ahead. This helps me to focus on increasing the margin of goals scored by my team.  I am extremely committed to improving my performance. As a result, I am willing to put in the hard work, perseverance and patience to ensure at the end of the day that I achieve my objective. 

I watch professional games regularly, in order to learn from competent and skilful players, as I am keen on improving. I have read several inspirational and motivational books. These include:- Alex Ferguson, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, Ian Wright, Russell Simmons, Alastair Campbell, etc. The main concept that I learnt from all these books is that commitment is the crucial ingredient for success. 

In my spare time, I like socializing with my friends and team mates. I enjoy doing this because, it gives me the opportunity to improve team chemistry. Furthermore, I have been on skiing trips to the  USA and Italy. At high school, I did drama, had a spell at playing drums and piano. I Studied Foods & Nutrition, Advance Level psychology, media studies, sports and English language at Loughborough College (UK). I am very interested in business and marketing. This is the reason I am aiming to obtain a degree in business whilst playing soccer in the United States. A degree in business will provide me with a comprehensive understanding of all the related topics such as; finance, economics and marketing. I hope to be an entrepreneur one day. A business degree will equip me with skills and ability to analyze data to improve financial decisions and make better predictions about the future. I sincerely hope that I will get into a college in the USA with excellent facilities, environment and staff to assist me in achieving my ambition.