Nigerian soccer player, Kenneth Kerewi, formerly of Lupe ole Soaga, who realised dreams to play Champions League soccer in Samoa now plans to give back with a new academy for young players. 

Kerewi continued a professional career that began in Bhutan and Nigeria in Samoa when he arrived on island five years ago.

He has become the elder statesman in Lupe o le Soaga’s team for the Oceania Champions League.

Now he plans to open an all new Pasefika Soccer Academy for boys and girls in his newly-adopted professional homes. 

The player announced the plans to the Football in Oceania news site over the weekend. 

Kerewi, who is 38 years old, has played in Samoa for years and recently completed a spell in New Zealand’s winter leagues.

“He wants to give something back to the kids of Samoa. That means starting up Pasefika Soccer Academy, an academy for both boys and girls,” the Confederation said in a statement. 

Kerewi has been coaching children for the Football Federation Samoa (F.F.S.) for some time.

But he says plans to expand his coaching programme were inspired by a request from a woman to train her grandson. 

Kerewi says the child’s prospects are now more than promising. 

“They are projecting a better prospect to see him progress with his soccer skills as well as combining soccer with his education such that he could along the line get a soccer scholarship to play overseas,” Kerewi told the news website. 

“And then a bigger picture projected for the future came in with the initiative to develop and train young players, [aged] 8-15 years old, to prepare them for a soccer career as well as combining a sort of play soccer and education for those that would later move overseas through soccer scholarships,” Kerewi said.

“I was looking at promoting a soccer academy in Samoa through the local clubs in Samoa because the F.F.S. are doing a lot of great jobs through ‘Fun Football’ programmes at various schools.

“But then like you have in New Zealand, you will see kids are engaged with various academies where they develop their skills, their talents and their football sense. And you can see the progress being made through the soccer academies on the players of which these players are exceptional players when they play in their various clubs.”

Kerwei is looking to connect with high schools outside of Samoa, especially the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand to help players find scholarship offers. 

He is also on the lookout for overseas partners to donate equipment to children.

“Basically I am looking at how to get in overseas partners to get on board because I would be looking out for soccer uniforms,” he said. 

“We can keep working on a professional standard of training and have the look of a professional environment.

“The soccer academy mission aims [to provide] a professional environment to develop young Samoan soccer players to full capacity.”

Prospective students can contact the academy on [email protected].