|
|
Stephen Ademolu,
soccer coach and academy director,
contributor to the Urban Book Circle
soccer coach and academy director,
contributor to the Urban Book Circle
Stephen Ademolu (Canada, 1982) is a Canadian soccer coach, academy director and player. He is one of the best soccer players in the history of Windsor, Ontario.
After university at Windsor, North Carolina and Cleveland State, Ademolu went straight to Europe playing for Trelleborgs, Tromso, Lov-Ham and Ekranas. He then signed for the Canadian Soccer League’s Windsor Stars in 2011 scoring 17 goals in 18 outings. In 2004, he played for the Canadian national under-23 team twice and he has also represented the Canadian national senior side five times from 2005 to 2010. Ademolu has also worked as the assistant men’s and women’s coach at the University of Windsor. Stephen Ademolu is a contributor to the Urban Book Circle. He runs the Ademolu Soccer Academy which opened in early 2015.
Ademolu played college soccer at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke during his freshman year and at Cleveland State University during his sophomore and junior years. At the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, he became the school’s top scorer with 12 goals and 6 assists. Stephen was also named the 2001 School’s Top Male Athlete and Peachbelt Conference Player of the Year for the 1st time in the school’s history.
At Cleveland State University during his sophomore year, Stephen was named Newcomer of the Year, 1st team All-Horizon League, 1st team NSCAA All-Ohio and 3rd team All-Great Lakes Region. He was also top scorer with 11 goals and 6 assists. In his Junior year he was named Horizon League Player of the Year, 3rd-team All-Ohio, 16th in the nation in goals per game, 28th in the nation in points per game, led his CSU Team and the Horizon League with 12 goals and 6 assists and tied a school record with 8 points – three goals and two assists against UIC – in one game.
During his youth years, Ademolu played for the Windsor FC Nationals scoring a total of 120 goals in the Ontario Youth Soccer League, also winning Top Goal Scorer of the Year and MVP in 1996-1997. Ademolu led the Windsor FC Nationals to back-to-back Ontario Cups.
In 2005 Ademolu signed for Trelleborgs FF in Sweden. He came in half-way through the season before getting relegated but the highlight for Ademolu was scoring his 1st goal in a derby game against Malmo FF. He was named team MVP for the 2005 season. In 2006, he played in the Swedish 2nd Division and scored 7 goals before being sold to Tromso IL. He spent 2½ seasons in Tromso playing in UEFA Cup games against A.S. Roma, Strasbourg, Elsborg, FC Basel and Galatasaray SK. He made history when he scored a crucial goal against Galatasaray SK sending Tromso IL into the group stages of the UEFA Cup.
After two and a half seasons in Tromso, Ademolu left to get more playing time in 2008 with Lov-Ham in the Norwegian First Division. Ademolu scored 12 goals and had 7 assists in 23 games before moving on to Lithuania where he signed a two-year contract.
He joined FK Ekranas in 2009 and was a key performer for his club. Ademolu was a threat in every aspect getting numerous penalties for his team. His most important game for FK Ekranas was in 2009 against FK Vėtra at home were Ekranas needed to win or tie to maintain there title hopes with one game remaining and in the last ten minutes of the game Ademolu was taken down in the box for a penalty. Ekranas ended up tying that game and later on led them to win the 2009 A Lyga Championship. Ademolu then went on to help his team win the 2010 A Lyga Championship, League Cup and SuperCup. During his time at Ekranas, Ademolu earned the right to play in the Champions League in 2009 were they lost in the qualifying rounds against FK Baku and the following year lost to Finnish side Helsinki.
Ademolu returned to Canada in 2011 during a brief stint with the Windsor Stars before signing in January 2012 with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League. Ademolu signed for Atlanta but couldn’t play due to a work permit issue in the United States.
During his junior years, he was called up to the Canadian Olympic team for qualifiers.
He made his senior debut for Canada in November 2005 against Luxembourg. In January 2010, he was called for a friendly match against Jamaica in which he started. Ademolu was called to play against Argentina on May 24, 2010 before playing Venezuela a few days later.
Ademolu is of Jamaican and Nigerian descent and has six brothers and one sister. His twin brother O’Nicholas also played for the Cleveland State Vikings. His cousin Michael Carter plays football for the Montreal Allouettes.
After university at Windsor, North Carolina and Cleveland State, Ademolu went straight to Europe playing for Trelleborgs, Tromso, Lov-Ham and Ekranas. He then signed for the Canadian Soccer League’s Windsor Stars in 2011 scoring 17 goals in 18 outings. In 2004, he played for the Canadian national under-23 team twice and he has also represented the Canadian national senior side five times from 2005 to 2010. Ademolu has also worked as the assistant men’s and women’s coach at the University of Windsor. Stephen Ademolu is a contributor to the Urban Book Circle. He runs the Ademolu Soccer Academy which opened in early 2015.
Ademolu played college soccer at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke during his freshman year and at Cleveland State University during his sophomore and junior years. At the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, he became the school’s top scorer with 12 goals and 6 assists. Stephen was also named the 2001 School’s Top Male Athlete and Peachbelt Conference Player of the Year for the 1st time in the school’s history.
At Cleveland State University during his sophomore year, Stephen was named Newcomer of the Year, 1st team All-Horizon League, 1st team NSCAA All-Ohio and 3rd team All-Great Lakes Region. He was also top scorer with 11 goals and 6 assists. In his Junior year he was named Horizon League Player of the Year, 3rd-team All-Ohio, 16th in the nation in goals per game, 28th in the nation in points per game, led his CSU Team and the Horizon League with 12 goals and 6 assists and tied a school record with 8 points – three goals and two assists against UIC – in one game.
During his youth years, Ademolu played for the Windsor FC Nationals scoring a total of 120 goals in the Ontario Youth Soccer League, also winning Top Goal Scorer of the Year and MVP in 1996-1997. Ademolu led the Windsor FC Nationals to back-to-back Ontario Cups.
In 2005 Ademolu signed for Trelleborgs FF in Sweden. He came in half-way through the season before getting relegated but the highlight for Ademolu was scoring his 1st goal in a derby game against Malmo FF. He was named team MVP for the 2005 season. In 2006, he played in the Swedish 2nd Division and scored 7 goals before being sold to Tromso IL. He spent 2½ seasons in Tromso playing in UEFA Cup games against A.S. Roma, Strasbourg, Elsborg, FC Basel and Galatasaray SK. He made history when he scored a crucial goal against Galatasaray SK sending Tromso IL into the group stages of the UEFA Cup.
After two and a half seasons in Tromso, Ademolu left to get more playing time in 2008 with Lov-Ham in the Norwegian First Division. Ademolu scored 12 goals and had 7 assists in 23 games before moving on to Lithuania where he signed a two-year contract.
He joined FK Ekranas in 2009 and was a key performer for his club. Ademolu was a threat in every aspect getting numerous penalties for his team. His most important game for FK Ekranas was in 2009 against FK Vėtra at home were Ekranas needed to win or tie to maintain there title hopes with one game remaining and in the last ten minutes of the game Ademolu was taken down in the box for a penalty. Ekranas ended up tying that game and later on led them to win the 2009 A Lyga Championship. Ademolu then went on to help his team win the 2010 A Lyga Championship, League Cup and SuperCup. During his time at Ekranas, Ademolu earned the right to play in the Champions League in 2009 were they lost in the qualifying rounds against FK Baku and the following year lost to Finnish side Helsinki.
Ademolu returned to Canada in 2011 during a brief stint with the Windsor Stars before signing in January 2012 with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League. Ademolu signed for Atlanta but couldn’t play due to a work permit issue in the United States.
During his junior years, he was called up to the Canadian Olympic team for qualifiers.
He made his senior debut for Canada in November 2005 against Luxembourg. In January 2010, he was called for a friendly match against Jamaica in which he started. Ademolu was called to play against Argentina on May 24, 2010 before playing Venezuela a few days later.
Ademolu is of Jamaican and Nigerian descent and has six brothers and one sister. His twin brother O’Nicholas also played for the Cleveland State Vikings. His cousin Michael Carter plays football for the Montreal Allouettes.
|
· Stephen Ademolu – photo / All rights reserved. Copyright © Stephen Ademolu ·
|
Last updated on March 12, 2021.
Published by Urban Book Circle on February 18, 2014 Urban Book Circle® (UBC) |
· Edited by Djuradj “George” Vujcic, Jefimija “Mia” Vujcic, Danijela Kovacevic Mikic,
Deidre McAuliffe and Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic ·
· Design & Artwork by Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic and Djuradj “George” Vujcic ·
· Illustrated by Sarah Riordan and Deidre McAuliffe ·
All rights reserved. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
Deidre McAuliffe and Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic ·
· Design & Artwork by Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic and Djuradj “George” Vujcic ·
· Illustrated by Sarah Riordan and Deidre McAuliffe ·
All rights reserved. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
