An interview by Paul Sheirich

 

 
I first saw Michael Balogun play in 2008, on a game replay of a great come-from-behind 3-2 win against the Fresno Fuego.  The Fuego were favorites, having gone to the PDL finals in 2007, and still had a great roster.  Michael's play stood out to me, as he showed really good field awareness, made good runs, defended strong, and was high energy.

Who is that guy?

Balogun was born in Nigeria, and at the age of 8, came to the United States in 1996, where the family settled in Houston, Texas.  He gained recognition as a high quality player while playing his high school ball for Westside, and club ball with the Houstonain FC, and was a Three-Time NSCAA Youth All-American (2004-06).  That recognition included a residency position with the U17 national team at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida for the Fall 2004 - Spring 2005 season.

Michael went on to appear in 13 games in the Seals 2008 season, and averaged 54 minutes per match (11th most on the team). He is currently playing for the Akron, Ohio Zips, the Division 1 National Champions this past season.  

I reached out to Michael recently with this written interview to catch-up on where he is at with his life, and soccer.


You've had a pretty successful soccer career compared to most youth soccer players. How did you find yourself involved in Soccer?

* I actually started playing soccer back in Nigeria, probably around the age of 4 or 5. It was definitely nothing serious because my parents felt it would get in the way of my education. They felt the chances of making it as a soccer player with all the talent that's in Nigeria was very slim.

Have you ever played another sport?
* I actually played a lot of different sports in both middle and high school. I love sport, whether that is watching or playing. In middle school I did basketball, football, track & cross country.

What positions have you played, and what position do you most enjoy and why?
* I have played every position on the field at some point or another. Something that my club coaches felt was important was knowing your role and the roles of those around you. That being said, growing up some of my favorite players were Claude Makalele, Patrick Viera and Roy Keane so their position (defensive midfielder) have always been preferred. Not only does the position require toughness, composure, leadership, and ability to read the game but it allows you to fly under the radar. Makalele might not have been scoring the big goals during his time at Real or Chelsea but he was an important piece of their success. I enjoy touches on the ball and with every team I've played with the d-mid gets the ball a lot, primarily in the build up.

You were selected to the Under 17 National team, and I understand you went into residency - I assume that was in Bradenton Florida. How did that come about? What did you learn? Did you enjoy your time there?
* Living in Bradenton with some of the best players in my age group was unbelievable. I was recently telling a good friend of mine about the bond you build with your teammates while you are there. In some ways it is almost like a fraternity. It has now been 5 or 6 years since I left and I'm still in contact with the majority of the guys I played with. As for the soccer aspect, I grew so much during the two years I spent there. Residency provided a professional atmosphere, and I'm sure all that had the opportunity would agree they became better players from their time there.

What was your most memorable experience with the National Team?
* It is hard to pick just one experience. On the field experience would be when we traveled to Brazil and played Cruzeiro's reserves before the first teams game vs. Athletico Minero. These two teams are rivals in Brazil, so with about 20 minutes left in our game the stadium started to fill up, reaching 40,000+ people. I've never played in front of such a large crowd and to have the Minero fans cheering for us was both very special and extremely comical. Off the field, my most memorable experience would be everything we did to entertain ourselves on a daily basis. For example: the 40 man royal rumble style pillow fights, a campus wide water gun fight, and players pretending to be weather reporters reporting on an hurricane headed towards Bradenton. These are memories I will never forget.

You played a full season with the San Francisco Seals in 2008, their final year as a PDL team. What challenges did you face playing in the PDL, and with the Seals, and in what ways did playing in the PDL help your game?
* That 2008 season had potential to be special and sadly we were one win short of making the playoffs. I went into every game confident we would get a result because of the type of talent and character we had on the team. The PDL program is interesting because it brings players from various schools together and you have a short amount of time to prepare before you start playing games. In addition, we had to keep some sort of rotation, as well as finding a balance and a correct fit for the group. It was the combination of all of these things that made the situation challenging. Also, the SF Seals team's location and the fact that some players had to drive more than two hours to training made learning how to play as a unit difficult. It is through these obstacles, however, that I learned how to push through games and play several positions for the good of the team.

What was your most memorable experience while playing for the Seals?
* I think the amount of friends and connections I made during those brief 3 months is the most memorable. I vividly remember the drives to practice with Lewis Sweeney. Ha ha!  Before that summer I had only been up to the Bay Area from Stockton twice. Yet, due to the Seals, I quickly began to spend most of my time there. I'm still in contact with some of the guys on that Seals team.

Transferring to the University of Akron, one of the elite soccer programs in America, is quite an accomplishment in itself. How did that come together for you?
* I had met my coach Caleb Porter several years back when he was interested in having me come to Akron but it was not meant to be at the time. We managed to keep in touch and I ran into him a couple times between then and now. When the time came that I was ready to transfer somewhere, Akron and UNC were my options. Akron happened to have just lost Blair Gavin and Ben Zemanski to the MLS draft and things weren't shaping up as expected for a move to UNC so I figured what a wonderful opportunity this is. I'm extremely fortunate to go from not really knowing what my situation would be, playing and school wise, to being in a top program.

How has the experience at Akron been different from your past experiences?
* There are a lot of things about Akron that makes it special: the professionalism the coaches emphasize day in and day out in training, the buzz and support we receive from students on campus and the community, definitely lets me know I made a great decision. It is different (harder) because of the emphasis on performing well in the classroom here and that's something I haven't had to do in a while. The coaches really want each player to do well...you're either going to leave UA for the pro ranks or leave with a degree.  Either way, Akron prepares you for the next phase of life.

What are your future goals in soccer and life after soccer? What is your major? What line of work are you interested in after soccer?
* Like a lot of people I have ideas but I need to worry about the present, improve everyday, and I think that will put me in a good position for my future endeavors. That being said, I hope to finish school or be close to earning a degree in December of 2011. The pro ranks have always been a dream of mine so maybe I'll be fortunate enough to be spotted by someone and make a living doing that. I'm currently a Psychology major, and whether I play professional or not will determine whether I look to do grad school or not. I'd also like to coach at some point if possible. So many coaches have given so much to me in sense of time, energy, wisdom . . . I only hope to make that same difference is someone's life.

What advice do you have for young players who aspire to achieve what you have in soccer?
* Two of my favorite quotes are: "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary" and "The harder you work, the luckier you get." I have to constantly remind myself of these things. As a 22 year old, I still have to remind myself that there's no supplement for hard work. Hard work, dedication and always having a desire to learn: I think these three are vital.

You've had a lot of coaches over your career. Who has been the most influential?
* I smiled a little when I read this question. I was just talking to a teammate this week about coaches I've had growing up. I think I've been fortunate to have had some excellent coaches. Some names in particular come to mind but overall every one of my coaches have taught me something and played a role in shaping the player I am today and I thank them all.

Is there anything you would like to share with us?
* GO ZIPS!!

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