Junior Agyekum

Junior Agyekum

Personal information
Full name	Akwasi Agyekum
Date of birth	(2002-03-03) March 3, 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Launceston City FC
Youth career
	Calgary West SC
	Springbank SC
2018–2021	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–	Thompson Rivers WolfPack	33	(0)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022	Rivers FC		(2)
2023	Atlético Ottawa	0	(0)
2024–	Launceston City FC	10	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 13, 2024

Akwasi "Junior" Agyekum (born March 3, 2002) is a Canadian soccer player who plays for Australian club Launceston City FC in NPL Tasmania.

Early life

Agyekum began playing youth soccer with Calgary West SC, later joining Springbank SC. ^[1] In August 2018, he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, after impressing the club's academy coaches at the Whitecaps’ Southern Alberta Academy Centre. ^[1]

University career

In 2021, Agyekum began attending Thompson Rivers University, where he played for the men's soccer team. ^[2] After his rookie season, he was named to the Canada West All-Rookie Team. ^[3] In 2022, he helped TRU win the national title. ^{[4] [5]} At the national championship tournament he was named the Nike Top Performer in two of three TRU matches at nationals, including the final, ^[6] also being named championship MVP and selected to the tournament all-star team. ^{[7] [8]} He was also named TRU's Male Athlete of the Year that season. ^{[9] [10]}

Club career

In 2022, Agyekum played with Rivers FC in League1 British Columbia. ^{[11] [12]}

At the 2023 CPL-U Sports Draft, he was selected in the first round (8th overall) by Atlético Ottawa. ^{[13] [14]} In April 2023, he signed a U Sports development contract with the club, allowing him to maintain his university eligibility. ^{[15] [16]} He became the first Thompson Rivers University player to sign a U Sports contract. ^[17] While with Ottawa, he participated in community outreach, visiting the club's youth affiliate clubs. ^[18] In late June 2023, he departed the club by mutual consent. ^{[19] [20]}

In 2024, he signed with Launceston City FC in the Australian second tier NPL Tasmania. ^[21]

Personal life

Along with some friends, he started the Cleats4kids foundation, to help give the less fortunate better access to soccer. ^[22]

References

1. Strasser, Scott (November 20, 2018). "Former Springbank player suits up for Whitecaps Academy". Airdrie Today.
2. "Akwasi Agyekum TRU profile". Thompson Rivers WolfPack .
3. "Three members of the 'Pack earn Canada West honours". Thompson Rivers WolfPack . October 29, 2021.
4. "WolfPack claim first U SPORTS title in shootout thriller". Thompson Rivers WolfPack . November 13, 2022.
5. Jacques, John (December 29, 2022). "Atletico Ottawa Draft Pick Agyekum: 'I Want To Take It As Far As Possible'". Northern Tribune.
6. "Championship MVP Agyekum selected in CPL – U SPORTS draft". Thompson Rivers WolfPack . December 15, 2022.
7. Hastings, Marty (December 28, 2022). "Junior eyes jump from Kamloops to Ottawa". Kamloops This Week.
8. "Sauvé and Agyekum win championship MVP, named U SPORTS soccer athletes of the week". U Sports . November 16, 2022.
9. "Agyekum, Young highlight annual WolfPack Awards Night while two new inductees join the TRU Athletics Hall of Fame". Thompson Rivers WolfPack . April 5, 2023.
10. "Agyekum inks CPL-U SPORTS Development Contract". Thompson Rivers WolfPack . April 14, 2023.
11. "Atlético Ottawa draft 2022 U Sports Championship MVP and local striker". Atlético Ottawa . December 15, 2022.
12. "Atlético Ottawa signs U-Sports product Junior Agyekum". Atlético Ottawa . April 14, 2022.
13. Donnelly, Adam (December 15, 2022). "WolfPack's Agyekum taken 8th overall in Canadian Premier League draft". CFJC-TV .
14. Keen, Jon (December 15, 2022). "TRU Wolfpack standout taken in first round of CPL soccer draft". CHNL .
15. Kaisar, Victor (April 14, 2023). "TRU's Akwasi Agyekum signs CPL-U SPORTS development contract with Atlético Ottawa". CHNL .
16. Jacques, John (April 14, 2023). "Draft Pick Agyekum Signs With Atletico Ottawa". Northern Tribune.
17. Hastings, Marty (April 17, 2023). "Agyekum of WolfPack inks program-first CPL-U Sports contract". Kamloops This Week.
18. "Atleti in the Community: Zachary Roy and Junior Agyekum visit Seaway Valley Soccer Club". Atlético Ottawa . June 12, 2023.
19. "Roster Update: Atlético Ottawa release midfielder Junior Agyekum". Atlético Ottawa . June 28, 2023.
20. Jacques, John (June 28, 2023). "Atletico Ottawa Parts Ways With Draft Pick Agyekum". Northern Tribune.
21. Shaw, Rob (March 14, 2024). "Big call about star import as Launceston teams kickoff NPL Tasmania campaigns". The Examiner .
22. "TRU's Agyekum draws upon pro-level experience to keep finding success". U Sports . March 1, 2024.

External links

• Junior Agyekum at Soccerway
• Junior Agyekum NPL Stats