Abayomi (Yomi) Awodesu, founder of Germantown Soccer and “Afrobeat Soccer,” left Nigeria in 1983 for England, where he honed his soccer skills, before emigrating to Philadelphia in 1993. A life-long soccer player, he earned a BS in Sports Management from Temple University. When Yomi’s three children were young, he looked around for soccer opportunities, and finding none that met with his approval, he formed Germantown Soccer Club in 2010. One of his sons went on to play soccer for Penn State, where he is completing his degree before joining a professional team. Coach Yomi has honed his skills throughout these twelve years of coaching children in recreational and intramural settings, as well as travel play. Now, in addition to coaching young players, he also provides coaching education to young adults and adults who want to learn to coach children.
Germantown Soccer Club has grown through the years and now has about 80 kids participating.
The cornerstone of Germantown Soccer’s approach to soccer training is building competence through fun and engaging drills and skill building activities that also incorporate small-sided games; the purpose of small-sided games is to allow the player to implement skills learned in a game setting, but in a relaxed way. When children learn to play in a relaxed manner, and when they’re having fun, they are more apt to want to continue, and when they are ready, they might be invited to play on a travel team.
Why soccer? Coach Yomi tells a very important story of how soccer builds connectedness and empowerment. At the beginning of the school year, one of the Emlen Elementary School 4th grade girls was combative and fought a lot during the after school program. After only a couple of months of soccer training, this girl changed her entire perspective and has become a leader.
Kindergarten-aged kids at play in a Germantown Soccer Club practice. Coach Yomi will be offering practice sessions for different age groups
