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East Kentwood High School athletics

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go falcons!

East Kentwood High School athletics

go falcons!

East Kentwood High School athletics

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5.0 years ago @ 6:10AM

Knee injury not able to stop East Kentwood’s Adetola Ojo from impacting a soccer game

By Greg Chrapek | Advance Newspapers 
on May 04, 2018 2:53 PM

EAST KENTWOOD – A season-ending knee injury may be keeping East Kentwood’s Adetola Ojo from contributing on the soccer field, but the injury is not keeping the Falcon senior from making an impact on the game.

A four-year varsity player and team leader, Ojo suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game of the season. On a team loaded with young, inexperienced soccer players, the injury is taking a two-fold hit on the Falcons. Not only are the Falcons missing a team leader on the field, but they are also without one of the top soccer players in the area.

“Adetola is most definitely one of the best players in the state,” said East Kentwood coach Mark Bea. “The thing that gives her the competitive edge is her mentality, toughness, perseverance, and grit. She also has extremely strong leadership skills.”

A center defender, Ojo quarterbacked the East Kentwood defense when she was on the field.

“Adetola was the anchor of our defense, without a doubt,” Bea said. “She is a skilled player with all the intangibles coaches love to have in a player. She is also the type of person that is the hardest worker on the field.”

On a team with seven freshmen, along with several sophomores and juniors that are new to the varsity, Ojo’s leadership skills are highly valued and she is continuing to help the team in any way she can.

“Since the injury, Adetola can’t be on the field leading by example,” Bea said., “but that hasn’t stopped her from being a team leader. It’s real cool to see her come along with the freshmen and with the sophomores and juniors who have no varsity experience. It’s a tough transition for her being a three-year starter and not being able to be on the field.”

Ojo’s work ethic transitions to the classroom, where she is a standout student.

“Adetola is an extremely bright young lady,” Bea said. “She is in the top 10 of her class and is planning to attend the University of Michigan to become an orthopedic surgeon. She also plans to eventually play club soccer in college.”

Before heading off to college, Adetola has more words of wisdom to pass along to her younger teammates.

“Adetola’s leadership has been tremendous,” Bea said. “The way she supports her younger teammates and teaches them life lessons is phenomenal.

“One thing she tells them is to play every game like it is your last game because you never know when it will be. With what happened to her this year, you can put an exclamation mark behind that statement.”


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