Most aspiring athletes start their journeys on the pitch, observe, area, court docket or within the pool, relying on their sport – however for one younger Londoner it started with an opportunity assembly.
“I used to be in a furnishings store in Orpington, south London, and the defensive position coach on the time approached me,” stated Nana Agyemang.
“He preferred my body and thought I had potential to play the game.”
The game in query was American soccer, one thing Agyemang had by no means even performed earlier than.
The coach was from the NFL Academy, based mostly in Loughborough, which scouts expertise from throughout Europe and Africa with a view to producing a era of NFL stars from outdoors North America.
“On the time I used to be too younger to use for the academy, so he gave my mum his card and once I was 16 I got here to the academy, utilized to the trials, after which received in by way of that,” he stated.
Now 18, Agyemang is in his last 12 months with the academy and has established himself as a defensive lineman.
He has grown to a top of 6ft 4in and gone from weighing 13st 3lb (185lb, 84kg) to 16st 11lb (235lb, 107kg) – and he hopes to extend that to 17st 11lb-18st 5lb (250-260lb, 113-117kg).
If all goes to plan, the subsequent step on his journey shall be securing a spot at a school or college in america subsequent 12 months.
After that, one of the best gamers turn into eligible for a spot within the NFL draft and an opportunity to affix one of many largest franchises within the nation.
“Soccer’s soccer, so long as I am nonetheless enjoying I am nonetheless chasing the dream,” he stated.