WHAT SOCA CAN DO: The Rise and Rise of Spring Soca United.

Oladapo Olawale Emmanuel

The Flamingoes with Shade Ijamilusi on jersey no 17

Springsoca United team

In this age when been young is almost synonymous with frivolous perceptions, there is one young man who is doing a great job helping the youths of Lekki Peninsula out of the vicious circle of idleness and poverty using football as a tool. Oladapo Olawale Emmanuel, boss of Springsoca Sports Academy Limited, scouts, nurture and help source for clubs for young football talents within the peninsula and beyond and he’s being successful at it! 

The Football academy which started in 2008 with six youths playing soccer for fun at a field in jakande, Lekki, has grown to a fully registered football academy with more than 36 active young footballers, producing a number of nationally recognized talents as they carved a niche chasing the round leather object.

Among their recent achievements, the springsoca academy lads emerged winners at the Pele legend tournament organised by WJ/YEDA FOUNDATION which had top youth academies in Lagos like the COD united football club Under18 team paticipating. The event which witnessed the presence of top football dignitaries and ex-internationals such as VictorAgali, Victor Ikpeba and a host of others, saw the academicals give a good account of themselves as they scaled through every stage to win the coveted trophy.
The springsoca academy U18 team further participated in a 64 youth team tournament drawn from West Africa tagged Frank Peters Cup and emerged quarterfinalist after they lost on penalties to Iwere fc of Delta state.

The academy also recorded another great height in 2016 when its female Team youth player Folashade Ijamilusi represented Nigeria at the concluded FIFA women under 17 world cup in Jordan.

While speaking with LEKKI PEOPLE magazine, Oladapo looked back to how it all began., 
"Back in those days, it started with about 6 idle youths, with dedication and constant training, our size increased to about 12, then we were able to form a team. We trained hard, adapting international training routines and then we started winning trophies.

 It was when our players started getting trials in Europe and South Africa that we decided to formalize the operations of the academy by registering it with the right government agencies.” 

He said further, “Nigeria is a football loving country and every child, both male and female love to play the game; they know the average rules of the game.

“Those children who show signs of great promises can be nipped at the bud and encouraged through training and other support.

“If some of these children get the best training facility like their counterparts in developed countries, we will be amazed at what depth of talent is available in our country, and this is what we want to do – give these lads the best training facilities ever!

“Funding is tough for us. We use the best training equipment comparable to those used in developed parts of the world and we are improving on our connections with major football clubs at home and abroad”, he concluded

While he expressed joy and optimism at the height the academy is aiming to attain, he however call on well meaning individuals to support the academicals as they aspire to become one of the best football academy in the world.