Olu Olutola '27 Recruiting Profile

Ever since I was young, I have loved watching and playing soccer, and the person who brought soccer into my life was my dad. When I was a kid, my dad would take me to his team soccer games, and as I grew up, I started to play with them until I was 8. At 8 years old, I joined my first soccer team, and I thought I was the best football player ever. I thought I was as good as Cristiano Ronaldo, but that all changed when my team went against the top team in our league. We were badly beaten. Although the players were my age mates, I thought they were older and not human. But I learned that I wasn't the best, no way near the best. After that game, though, the coach of the opposing team came to me and asked to speak with my father. I didn't know what happened, but my father took me to that team the following season, and I developed quickly. The coach taught me how to use my pace and how to use my vertical to score headers. At that club, I became a full-minded attacking player. I thought that being a winger, I didn't have to track back to help with defense or defend on set pieces. All I thought I should do was attack. But now that I've grown up into a teenager, I have learned that defending is part of being a winger. I need to track back and help and communicate with the fullbacks. This is something that my new coach taught me. Football is not only about scoring and medals. It's also about working as a team, defending as one, and attacking as one. Do I now think I'm the best player? No, I still have a long way to go as a player and as a person. As I continue to grow in life, I don't want to stop playing soccer. That's why I have joined NCSA. In college/university soccer, I can help your team, and you can help me. I can be a hard-working player who has good academic records. My parents take education seriously, suppport my passion for soccer, and want me to do well in my school work. I love soccer with all my heart and want to make it far, and I believe somebody can help achieve that dream.