Ohin signs with Valour
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This article was published 25/01/2019 (2427 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
It’s been a long journey, but Raphael Ohin has finally fulfilled a lifelong dream.
The 23-year-old midfielder launched his professional soccer career this month when he signed a multi-year contract with Valour FC. Ohin is a coach with the St. Charles Soccer Association and has played three years with the pre-professional World Soccer Academy (WSA) Winnipeg.
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“It means a lot to me,” he said. “Signing a pro contract has been my dream since I was just a kid.”
Ohin is originally from Ghana and played in his home country before being recruited by a team in Switzerland at the age of 15. He went on to play in Germany, Thailand and Sweden before settling in Winnipeg in 2016 to play with the WSA.
“A lot of people ask me, ‘Raph, why Winnipeg?’ But I’ve had lots of experience travelling to other places, but it’s so different here,” said Ohin, who lives in Garden City. “People are really welcoming here, that really made me excited.”
During a Jan. 10 media conference, Valour FC coach Rob Gale explained why Ohin was selected to join the Canadian Premier League team.
“He’s a very good footballer… but above all I like him as a person,” Gale said. “In this environment with great players around him we have great trust in him to develop his game and push on to higher levels.”
Ohin got his start coaching with the WSA’s youth teams and was brought over to St. Charles by Raff Cantafio, the club’s technical program co-ordinator, who recognized his innate skills as a teacher.
“He’s incredibly good with all of the ages, he connects with all of the kids, which is really, really important,” Cantafio said. “He also brings kind of a pragmatic approach, where you have guy who’s in the midst of becoming a professional soccer player and he’s kind of practising what he preaches.”
For Ohin, coaching has helped him improve as a player and give back to the sport he loves.
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“When I got to St. Charles it was really good, they helped me out a lot with taking my coaching classes. That has helped me improve as a player,” he said. “I just love that feeling of helping people, because there’s nothing better than helping someone.”
Cantafio said because Ohin doesn’t have many family members in Winnipeg, the soccer community has become his support system — something that makes signing with Valour extra special.
“I’m exceptionally proud of him, but I’m also super happy and elated that he was able to fulfil his journey,” he said.
Valour FC’s pre-season training begins in March and the team’s inaugural season starts in April.