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Interview with Canadian soccer player Stephen Ademolu by Djuradj Vujcic
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“I’m really enjoying writing. It’s like my new outlet to get my thoughts and ideas out to the public. I think it’s best to speak your mind in the sports world. I believe we shelter ourselves from reality or the whole truth. It doesn’t cause me any problems. If anything, I get a lot of praise for speaking on things that are for some reason not spoken upon.” – Stephen Ademolu, Canadian soccer player.
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Interview with Canadian soccer player Stephen Ademolu
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Last time we spoke with Stephen Ademolu, he let us know of his upcoming youth academy. The Grand Opening of the Ademolu Soccer Academy is set for January 3, 2015. Stephen will bring his wealth of experience and passion for the game to the type of academy that Canada has been waiting for. We caught up with Stephen Ademolu for a quick chat.
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Djuradj Vujcic: How is the Academy planning going so far?
Stephen Ademolu: The academy planning is going well so far. The marketing is key right now. Other than that, everything is all good. I’m about to start going to public schools and introducing my Academy and telling the kids about my career from university to the pros.
Djuradj Vujcic: You’ve dedicated a large portion of your life to soccer. Even now you are both playing and coaching. Does this ever tire you out?
Stephen Ademolu: Yes, that is true. I have dedicated a large portion of my life to soccer. But coaching and playing doesn’t tire me out at all. I think the only time I was tired out was when I was in grade 12. I was going from football practice to soccer practice and that lasted up until basketball season and then there was track and then there was school soccer. That’s when I was burned out but now it’s just a way of life. It’s like when you get up to brush your teeth, go to the bathroom or eat breakfast. That’s how I feel about soccer coaching and playing. It’s just a way of life. It’s a lifestyle – not a hobby – and the coaching is so fun to see kids struggle and to see them succeed in the end.
It’s so rewarding. I don’t give up on kids but if the kids already believe that they have failed than obviously the job becomes extremely hard so I have to work on them mentally to believe before anything. I think I tire out the kids now. I sprint with them, I play with them. The university kids really keep me on my toes, I won’t lie. They make me feel younger and younger every day.
Djuradj Vujcic: How important is advertising and having a good repertoire with the media to you?
Stephen Ademolu: Advertising is the number 1 thing with starting a soccer academy. I’ll give you the secrets. I believe the key is to get into the schools and soccer clubs. Every club has cliques and their own way of doing things. Since I’m from Windsor and I’ve been in the local newspaper and around the world in papers, I get a bit of respect and a lot of people are super kind to me. A lot of news reporters and writers have heard about me from high school to university to my pro career. I have always been in the newspaper which helps a lot. I do a lot of free trainings so people can get the feel for what I’m doing. I accept the fact that parents ask that yes, I’m a good player, but what kind of coach am I. Now that I’m a University of Windsor men’s and women’s assistant coach and I work with local clubs, I think I have instilled in those who doubt me that I am a pretty good coach and I know how to get the best out of your child.
Djuradj Vujcic: How is your writing going? I noticed that you speak your mind, are honest and tell it how it is. How important is that to you and does this ever cause problems for you?
Stephen Ademolu: I’m really enjoying writing. It’s like my new outlet to get my thoughts and ideas out to the public. I think it’s best to speak your mind in the sports world. I believe we shelter ourselves from reality or the whole truth. It doesn’t cause me any problems. If anything, I get a lot of praise for speaking on things that are for some reason not spoken upon. I’ve always spoken my mind and been respectful about it and I’m very accepting of criticism because as a professional soccer player I was criticized so much in every way. I hope I continue to keep writing for the Urban Book Circle and I hope people keep on reading. Who knows, I might start giving motivational speeches (laughs).
Stephen Ademolu: The academy planning is going well so far. The marketing is key right now. Other than that, everything is all good. I’m about to start going to public schools and introducing my Academy and telling the kids about my career from university to the pros.
Djuradj Vujcic: You’ve dedicated a large portion of your life to soccer. Even now you are both playing and coaching. Does this ever tire you out?
Stephen Ademolu: Yes, that is true. I have dedicated a large portion of my life to soccer. But coaching and playing doesn’t tire me out at all. I think the only time I was tired out was when I was in grade 12. I was going from football practice to soccer practice and that lasted up until basketball season and then there was track and then there was school soccer. That’s when I was burned out but now it’s just a way of life. It’s like when you get up to brush your teeth, go to the bathroom or eat breakfast. That’s how I feel about soccer coaching and playing. It’s just a way of life. It’s a lifestyle – not a hobby – and the coaching is so fun to see kids struggle and to see them succeed in the end.
It’s so rewarding. I don’t give up on kids but if the kids already believe that they have failed than obviously the job becomes extremely hard so I have to work on them mentally to believe before anything. I think I tire out the kids now. I sprint with them, I play with them. The university kids really keep me on my toes, I won’t lie. They make me feel younger and younger every day.
Djuradj Vujcic: How important is advertising and having a good repertoire with the media to you?
Stephen Ademolu: Advertising is the number 1 thing with starting a soccer academy. I’ll give you the secrets. I believe the key is to get into the schools and soccer clubs. Every club has cliques and their own way of doing things. Since I’m from Windsor and I’ve been in the local newspaper and around the world in papers, I get a bit of respect and a lot of people are super kind to me. A lot of news reporters and writers have heard about me from high school to university to my pro career. I have always been in the newspaper which helps a lot. I do a lot of free trainings so people can get the feel for what I’m doing. I accept the fact that parents ask that yes, I’m a good player, but what kind of coach am I. Now that I’m a University of Windsor men’s and women’s assistant coach and I work with local clubs, I think I have instilled in those who doubt me that I am a pretty good coach and I know how to get the best out of your child.
Djuradj Vujcic: How is your writing going? I noticed that you speak your mind, are honest and tell it how it is. How important is that to you and does this ever cause problems for you?
Stephen Ademolu: I’m really enjoying writing. It’s like my new outlet to get my thoughts and ideas out to the public. I think it’s best to speak your mind in the sports world. I believe we shelter ourselves from reality or the whole truth. It doesn’t cause me any problems. If anything, I get a lot of praise for speaking on things that are for some reason not spoken upon. I’ve always spoken my mind and been respectful about it and I’m very accepting of criticism because as a professional soccer player I was criticized so much in every way. I hope I continue to keep writing for the Urban Book Circle and I hope people keep on reading. Who knows, I might start giving motivational speeches (laughs).
Djuradj Vujcic,
Canadian journalist, editor-in-chief of the Urban Book Circle
Canadian journalist, editor-in-chief of the Urban Book Circle
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Circle UBC® – an online magazine of applied literature and traditional arts – of the Urban Book Circle®
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Interview with Canadian soccer player Stephen Ademolu by Djuradj Vujcic
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· Interview: Djuradj Vujcic / All rights reserved 2014. Copyright © Djuradj Vujcic ·
· Photo of Stephen Ademolu courtesy of Stephen Ademolu ·
· Photo of Samuel Beckett’s bookshelf in the study of his apartment at the Boulevard St Jacques in Paris courtesy of John Minihan / All rights reserved 1985. Copyright © John Minihan ·
· Published on Urban Book Circle · Published on RedNation Online ·
· Design & Artwork by Djuradj Vujcic and Prvoslav Vujcic · Illustrated by Sarah Riordan and Deidre McAuliffe ·
· Edited by Djuradj Vujcic, Prvoslav Vujcic, Deidre McAuliffe, Sarah Riordan and Danijela Kovacevic Mikic ·
· Edited by Djuradj Vujcic, Prvoslav Vujcic, Deidre McAuliffe, Sarah Riordan and Danijela Kovacevic Mikic ·
All rights reserved 2014. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
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Urban Book Circle: a circle of the gifted, literate and brave.
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Last updated on December 23, 2014.
Published by Urban Book Circle on December 23, 2014 Urban Book Circle® (UBC) |
