Kareem Awkal '26 Recruiting Profile

My name is Kareem Awkal. I am a class of 2026 attacking midfielder out of western Massachusetts. I play club soccer for U17 IFA West in the National Academy League and high school for Hampden Charter School of Science High School.

As a player who has played and trained internationally, I have many notable achievements and abilities. In spring of 2024 I led my club team to a state cup championship with a goal in every knockout stage and the winning goal in the final which resulted in me receiving the state MVP for u16. This performance resulted in our team competing in the USYS regional championships in West Virginia. For high school, I led the team to their most successful season in the school's history. We won our conference for the first time in seven years. I played a big role in this with my 32 goals and 9 assists in 15 games as an attacking midfielder. As a result, I earned the season MVP and golden boot for my junior season. 

Internationally, I have had profound experiences that have developed me as a player. I was selected to train with the Benfica Elite Training program on the Benfica campus in Portugal over the summer of 2024. I value the way Futsal skills help me to be a better soccer player. That is why I include Futsal as a part of my soccer training. In April 2024, I traveled to Croatia as a player for the U19 US Select Futsal Team at the 2024 Istria Nations Cup. As a result of my performance at the 2024 northeastern regional tournament in Atlantic City, New Jersey, I was selected to play for the u16 US National team at the world championships in Malaysia. Our team won the Championship in Malaysia beating Australia in the finals. 

My best attributes on the field include, my ability on the ball, my strong and accurate shots with both feet, and my leadership and communication during games. Over the years my coaches have told me that my ability to read the game and anticipate the next play is outstanding. My composure and calmness on the ball in tight areas allows me to navigate through traffic very well, making space for myself to look up and provide excellent passes for my teammates. My shooting ability has always been one of, if not my strongest ability. This is shown by the amount of goals that I had accumulated. I can shoot with both of my feet just as well making me more versatile. I am almost always the set piece taker for freekicks, penalties, and corners.

Off the field and academically, I strive to be the best version of myself just as I do on the field. I was just recently chosen to be a part of the National Honors Society. I am in AP and Honors classes.

I hope to pursue civil engineering in a college environment where I can play soccer at the most competitive level while contributing to the success of my team and school.