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Hamad Ahmed is set to fly out to the US this fall in a bid to follow his footballing dreams after accepting a soccer scholarship at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in Charlotte, North Carolina to play the game he loves.
The 19-year-old started playing the sport at the age of six and could be found kicking the ball around at several clubs across the island. His passion for the game and dedication sealed him spots in the Under-16 and Under-19 national squads.
“I enjoyed playing, both at the clubs and the national team,” said Ahmed. “With the national team, it was particularly rewarding as everyone there was the best of the best. So there was a low-key competitive spirit that pushed everyone to play their very best game.”
Last year though, the St Christopher’s School alumni faced a crisis to which many talented athletes in the kingdom can relate. As opportunities to grow and develop athletically became limited, he had to pick between an athletic career and an academic one.
Being a smart cookie who wanted to play the long game, Ahmed was forced to pick the academic route and he started his foundational year at the British University of Bahrain after he completed high school.
Then in November he heard of a competition being held at the Winners Football Academy in partnership with The Ministry of Youth and Sports and Tamkeen- EduSports programme which is held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports.
This programme provides young boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 21 with scholarships to the US. The students will have the opportunity to represent Bahrain and the GCC and after their studies abroad, athletes will have the chance to transfer the skills learned during this experience by playing for the National Football team in Bahrain and other teams in the region.
Winners Football Center partnered up with First Point USA; the world’s leading authority in American sports scholarships since 2001 to make it possible and they are known for sending 500 students to the America every year and provide them with access to more than 2,500 universities.
Ahmed decided to take a chance and was one of 22 candidates drafted not just for his football finesse but also his academic performance and strong leadership skills.
As he kept training both at the academy for two days-a-week and at the gym on his “rest” days, he continued his studies in the business management, particularly enjoying his marketing classes.
During this time, Ahmed was interviewed by First Point USA. Videos of his best plays were shot and sent to thousands of universities across the states. He caught the eye of the JWU Wildcats coach Matt Payne particularly because of his soft skills as a footballer.
Fawaz Albinmohamed, Winners Academy co-founder, said: “They saw him play and the coach knew right away that while there are many physically gifted athletes in the US, Ahmed had the right mentality as a soccer player. He had grown up with the game and he plays midfielder usually, so basically, you get him the ball and he will strategically direct it to the right people, either the forwards or the wings.”
In June, a mere seven months after the competition, he received an acceptance letter to the University, where he followed his passion by applying for the marketing programme and a $15,000 scholarship offer.
“Winning a scholarship was the happiest moment in my footballing career,” said Ahmed. “I get to play football professionally without having to sacrifice my education.”
He credits his dad, Ali Ahmed, who is a swimming instructor, for imbibing him with an athletic and competitive spirit. He also thanks his mother, Rana Ali Ebrahim, an educator on the island, for recognising the raw talent in him and always supporting him in his pursuits.
Ahmed added: “I am a total mama’s boy. It will be different being away from family and having to stay disciplined on my own. But I have some friends not too far away in the US, so I will have a network to rely on.”
Even though he has travelled globally, most recently returning from a trip to Greece, this will be his first time in the US.
To help him land fully, his mother will accompany him and help him get settled into the routine of balancing athletics and academia.
As he progresses through the programme, he hopes to have the opportunity to play in the United Sports League and the Major League Soccer (MLS), which attracts more than 20,000 spectators per game, making it the third-most watched sports league in the states, after American football and baseball.
The GulfWeekly team wishes him the best of luck with both his academic and athletic pursuits and hopes to see him grow and reach his full potential, while, of course, never forgetting that no matter what the Americans say, Ahmed is the one playing ‘real’ football.
Hamad Ahmed is set to fly out to the US this fall in a bid to follow his footballing dreams after accepting a soccer scholarship at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in Charlotte, North Carolina to play the game he loves.
The 19-year-old started playing the sport at the age of six and could be found kicking the ball around at several clubs across the island. His passion for the game and dedication sealed him spots in the Under-16 and Under-19 national squads.
“I enjoyed playing, both at the clubs and the national team,” said Ahmed. “With the national team, it was particularly rewarding as everyone there was the best of the best. So there was a low-key competitive spirit that pushed everyone to play their very best game.”
Last year though, the St Christopher’s School alumni faced a crisis to which many talented athletes in the kingdom can relate. As opportunities to grow and develop athletically became limited, he had to pick between an athletic career and an academic one.
Being a smart cookie who wanted to play the long game, Ahmed was forced to pick the academic route and he started his foundational year at the British University of Bahrain after he completed high school.
Then in November he heard of a competition being held at the Winners Football Academy in partnership with The Ministry of Youth and Sports and Tamkeen- EduSports programme which is held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports.
This programme provides young boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 21 with scholarships to the US. The students will have the opportunity to represent Bahrain and the GCC and after their studies abroad, athletes will have the chance to transfer the skills learned during this experience by playing for the National Football team in Bahrain and other teams in the region.
Winners Football Center partnered up with First Point USA; the world’s leading authority in American sports scholarships since 2001 to make it possible and they are known for sending 500 students to the America every year and provide them with access to more than 2,500 universities.
Ahmed decided to take a chance and was one of 22 candidates drafted not just for his football finesse but also his academic performance and strong leadership skills.
As he kept training both at the academy for two days-a-week and at the gym on his “rest” days, he continued his studies in the business management, particularly enjoying his marketing classes.
During this time, Ahmed was interviewed by First Point USA. Videos of his best plays were shot and sent to thousands of universities across the states. He caught the eye of the JWU Wildcats coach Matt Payne particularly because of his soft skills as a footballer.
Fawaz Albinmohamed, Winners Academy co-founder, said: “They saw him play and the coach knew right away that while there are many physically gifted athletes in the US, Ahmed had the right mentality as a soccer player. He had grown up with the game and he plays midfielder usually, so basically, you get him the ball and he will strategically direct it to the right people, either the forwards or the wings.”
In June, a mere seven months after the competition, he received an acceptance letter to the University, where he followed his passion by applying for the marketing programme and a $15,000 scholarship offer.
“Winning a scholarship was the happiest moment in my footballing career,” said Ahmed. “I get to play football professionally without having to sacrifice my education.”
He credits his dad, Ali Ahmed, who is a swimming instructor, for imbibing him with an athletic and competitive spirit. He also thanks his mother, Rana Ali Ebrahim, an educator on the island, for recognising the raw talent in him and always supporting him in his pursuits.
Ahmed added: “I am a total mama’s boy. It will be different being away from family and having to stay disciplined on my own. But I have some friends not too far away in the US, so I will have a network to rely on.”
Even though he has travelled globally, most recently returning from a trip to Greece, this will be his first time in the US.
To help him land fully, his mother will accompany him and help him get settled into the routine of balancing athletics and academia.
As he progresses through the programme, he hopes to have the opportunity to play in the United Sports League and the Major League Soccer (MLS), which attracts more than 20,000 spectators per game, making it the third-most watched sports league in the states, after American football and baseball.
The GulfWeekly team wishes him the best of luck with both his academic and athletic pursuits and hopes to see him grow and reach his full potential, while, of course, never forgetting that no matter what the Americans say, Ahmed is the one playing ‘real’ football.
