By Lamin Fadera
Former Gambia U20 and Armed Forces goalkeeper Babucarr Ceesay has won the most valuable player award.
Ceesay is also selected in the 2021 team of the year at the United States Collegiate Athletes Association (USCAA) men’s soccer division 1 championship on November 15th 2021.
Baboucarr’s remarkable performance has earned him great respect among his peers.
He expressed delight after scooping the two individual awards. “Every footballer’s ambition is to play more games and win more medals. Every season since I’ve been at Bryant and Stratton College, I’ve won awards, and I can’t count how many times I’ve won goalkeeper of the week. I was named Most Valuable Player last season (MVP) and is a great feeling to win it again in 2021” he said.
Bobino as he is fondly called guided his college Bryant and Stratton side to glory in the national division 1 championship in USA as they won 3-1 against the University of Maine Fort Kent after a goalless draw in regulation time.
The young prodigy from Fajikunda explained that hard work and determination is key to his success in the USCAA.
“To be honest, being a part of the USCAA division 1 first team All American setup isn’t easy. Your ability to make the first team All American is determined by your performance. It takes dedication, hard work, and effort. Every collegiate (college) soccer player’s dream in the United States of America is to be named All American. When I won this award for the second time in a row, I was overjoyed. This means a lot to me”.
The All-America squad is a honorary designation granted to top U.S. athletes competing at the college levels during the year in specific sports. The word originally referred to a select group of collegiate football players.
With an ambition to play for the Scorpions following his magnificent performances for his college Bryant and Stratton side, Babucarr Ceesay said he wants to play for the senior national team in the future.
The former u17, 20 and u23 goalkeeper believes he can add immense quality to the senior national scorpion where he was invited to train with before his move to the US.
“I was invited to all of my country’s youth categories, from u17, u20, and u23, and was called to the senior national team for some games before moving to United States. My most recent call-up was for the home game against Algeria. I was invited as a local home based player but I did not make the final list. I was among the last eight people to be dropped, but I’m still hoping for a chance to play for the Scorpions to make my dream come true”.
