Kinetic graduate, Lolu Ojo, discusses his football scholarship in USA, as well as his successful pathway through the Kinetic Academy full time programme.
Lolu tells us about how he got the opportunity in the USA stating, “I first got the opportunity to go to America from Kinetic”. He spent two years in Junior college then transferred to a Division 1 University at Chicago State. Sadly, he expresses “it wasn’t what I was looking for” but has now moved to another NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) College called Roosevelt University where he currently resides.
Reflecting on his time he says “It’s been good… football-wise, I’m being tested every day. The full-time programme at Kinetic really set me up to be ready for training every day, playing a few games a week, so I’m quite adapted to it.”
Lolu highlighted one standout moment in particular from his time at Kinetic: “My first FA Youth Cup game at Kinetic was a big one for me. Just being given the trust by Harry Hudson and Calum McFarlane to start the game really went a long way. It gave me the confidence to show my ability, not just to my team and coaches, but to everyone who came to watch me.”
He also mentions how Kinetic has helped him further his career, especially providing skills that he has taken into the real world: “Kinetic has done a lot for me, I think just by taking the little things seriously. Having to be not only on time, but ten minutes early to the place you want to be. Being uncomfortable in situations and always open for learning new things. I think that Kinetic, from a naked eye, can be a complicated place, but when you do the simple things correctly, it becomes a lot easier for you. And when you take that into the real world, it’s the same thing. You don’t need to complicate things, just need to simplify and take it step-by-step. Kinetic really helped me with understanding and applying that.”
Lolu provided some words of advice for current Kinetic Academy scholars who may be concerned that they won’t make it in professional football. “It’s never too late. If they are driven and focused, they can take football anywhere. They may not necessarily get what they wanted initially out of it, but there’s always a spot for someone in football.”
Lolu, who plays primarily as a left-wing back, initially trialled for two programmes. One being Kinetic and the other was at Oasis Academy Coulsdon, who worked closely with Fulham FC at the time.
“My reason for choosing Kinetic was that when I trialled at the Fulham programme, they saw me as a great player. However, at Kinetic, they saw me as a player that had a lot to improve on. It sounded to me, and proved to be, that Kinetic looked at me as someone who could be a lot better than where they were right now and that was what I wanted from a club to reach a new level. So, that was why I chose Kinetic.”
Furthermore, he identifies the differences between Kinetic and other clubs offering similar academy and education programmes emphasising “the little attentions to detail. I think at Kinetic, they pay attention to what they want to do and go full force for that. And what’s very important is that they feel their whole team believes in that. Kinetic just looks at the little details and little by little, it just pieces together, which makes it important as a very big and structured thing.”
“I am grateful for the two years I was given by Harry Hudson and Calum McFarlane. Kinetic has done a lot for me, it’s been a big part of my life, making sure that I keep myself on track. So, I’m very grateful.”
Article by Josh Eden