Out of Africa – and hopefully into the big time
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Isaac Akuoko has dreams of becoming the latest player with African heritage to make it to the NRL. The 18-year-old is one of the many talented youngsters to emerge from Africa United, a Blacktown-based rugby league club that encourages all members of the African community to play the greatest game of all.
Akuoko has been a standout coming through the grades, to the point where he has been identified for Manly’s Jersey Flegg side despite being two years younger than many participants. The centre/fullback, whose father is from Ghana, said Africa United provided an important pathway for youngsters to potentially join Moses Mbye and Jamal Idris as players of African heritage to make it to the big time.
‘‘Usually in the media, especially lately, Africans haven’t been portrayed in the best light,’’ Akuoko said. ‘‘A lot of them get away from crime by coming down to training. Iwent to Ghana, my dad’s country, in 2016. I feel like that’s where it really kicked in that I’m not just doing it for myself and my family but also for my culture.’’
Akuoko has only played two matches for the Sea Eagles, but the club was quick to help out when he requested playing kits for a team that had just been formed in Ghana.
‘‘[On Tuesday] night I ended up getting 151 jerseys, 78 pairs of socks and 78 pairs of shorts.’’
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/do...where-madge-is-concerned-20180818-p4zybp.html
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Isaac Akuoko has dreams of becoming the latest player with African heritage to make it to the NRL. The 18-year-old is one of the many talented youngsters to emerge from Africa United, a Blacktown-based rugby league club that encourages all members of the African community to play the greatest game of all.
Akuoko has been a standout coming through the grades, to the point where he has been identified for Manly’s Jersey Flegg side despite being two years younger than many participants. The centre/fullback, whose father is from Ghana, said Africa United provided an important pathway for youngsters to potentially join Moses Mbye and Jamal Idris as players of African heritage to make it to the big time.
‘‘Usually in the media, especially lately, Africans haven’t been portrayed in the best light,’’ Akuoko said. ‘‘A lot of them get away from crime by coming down to training. Iwent to Ghana, my dad’s country, in 2016. I feel like that’s where it really kicked in that I’m not just doing it for myself and my family but also for my culture.’’
Akuoko has only played two matches for the Sea Eagles, but the club was quick to help out when he requested playing kits for a team that had just been formed in Ghana.
‘‘[On Tuesday] night I ended up getting 151 jerseys, 78 pairs of socks and 78 pairs of shorts.’’
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/do...where-madge-is-concerned-20180818-p4zybp.html
