Winnipeg duo gets pro soccer chance in Denmark

By: Mike Sawatzky Posted: 9:19 PM CDT Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021

Nassar Ssempa has been grinding away for years in hopes of earning a legitimate opportunity to play professional soccer.

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Nassar Ssempa has been grinding away for years in hopes of earning a legitimate opportunity to play professional soccer.

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Nassar Ssempa has been grinding away for years in hopes of earning a legitimate opportunity to play professional soccer.

Last week, the door opened for the 26-year-old midfielder when he joined fellow Winnipegger Andrij Sawczuk on the pitch for a pre-season game with AaB Aalborg of Denmark’s second division.

“I don’t want to push things — I want to take things by step by step,” said Ssempa during a recent phone call. “Because right now, the coach has been really welcoming me and then he told me he has thoughts about me being a surprise. But at the same time, I have mixed emotions. I want to prove my worth. Then I can be really comfortable.”

Nassar Ssempa (left) joined fellow Winnipegger Andrij Sawczuk on the pitch for a pre-season game with AaB Aalborg of Denmark's second division last week. (Supplied)

Ssempa’s reticence was understandable.

Since graduating from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn., four years ago, he’s had tryouts with Valour FC of the Canadian Premier League, another with a club in Sweden and workouts with Memphis of the USL Championship and Chattanooga of USL League One.

“I’m really excited because I’ve never had everything just come all at once,” said Ssempa, who immigrated to Canada from Uganda in 2010. “I’ve never had this much opportunity.”

Sawczuk, a 23-year-old forward, was feeling exhilarated by their welcome in Denmark. The duo arrived in Europe eight days ago and both played in their first game, a pre-season matchup, two days later.

“At first we were jet-lagged in that we were arriving in a new country, the time change and I was trying to adjust to a new climate and everything, but I think we adjusted well,” said Sawczuk.

“It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do since I can remember. People take different routes and for me, it was to the go to the U.S., play there, got an education out of it. Play for a great school, got some experience playing in the U.S., and then I believe that helped me get to where I am today.”

Sawczuk, a St. Paul’s High School grad who finished college in 2019, and Ssempa were teammates at Freed-Hardeman, an NAIA school. They were teammates with CCS Sweatshack of the Manitoba Major Soccer Lague and now again in Denmark. Sawczuk can’t believe his good fortune.

He credits Alex Esteves, founder of Soccer’s Best Academy in Winnipeg, for the breakthrough in Denmark.

Sawczuk also believes the academy’s track record, initiated by Caroline Kehrer at Aalborg, helped paved the way. Kehrer, another Winnipegger, made her pro debut last year with the Aalborg women’s pro side before transferring to a bigger club — Ferencváros TC — in Hungary’s first division.

“To be honest, I think somehow Alex connected us,” said Sawczuk. “Obviously, Caroline has played here as well and I believe that the way she did fantastic here… I just know that she set a really good impression. They were really proud of her (with) the way she performed. So obviously, it helps our case as well, coming from the same academy. I’m thinking there has to be a link.”

Esteves said Kehrer’s breakthrough was crucial.

“They saw how talented (Kehrer) was and then it kind of opened the door for us on the male side, right?” said Esteves, noting Ssempar and Sawczuk were originally going to Aalborg on a strictly tryout basis. “…I was just super excited with the opportunity for them to go showcase themselves, right? And that’s what I was kind of banking on was that situation, and then all of a sudden the (Aalborg) head coach takes a look at the videos and (said) they’re signing them. When they told me, I was kind of stunned.”

Ssempa, who attended Soccer’s Best and Sisler High School, caught off guard by how he was used in his first game.

“I was really surprised when the coach played me in the middle right away because everywhere I went, because of my height (he’s 5-5) and everything, they always played me on the side. And I was really surprised when the coach believed in me and played me in the position where I want to play. That gave me a big boost.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14