Humans of NGU: French football comes to Tigerville
Keely Lyons, Staff Writer
Little did six-year-old Kalvin Semedo know as he watched soccer on television in North Paris that almost 17 years later he would play in America for North Greenville University’s soccer team.
After years of playing, his desire to cultivate his passion for soccer still remains. In France, he passed the cultural age mark for success, but he decided to challenge the status quo. “When you are from France, 18 years old is typically the cut-off for a career in soccer,” Semedo said. He decided to take his big chance and come to the United States in search of greater opportunities.
After coming to America to continue his career at another university, he was contacted in 2021 by an agent notifying him of NGU’s interest in his abilities. NGU offered him a full-ride scholarship if he would become a Crusader. “I didn’t really choose NGU, they chose me,” said Semedo. He said he decided to take the chance, or he knew it would never happen again. Officially an NGU Crusader, Semedo plays the field as a winger.
Semedo says he expects a lot from himself as he pursues excellence on the field and works hard in school. As a full-ride college student, Semedo has a responsibility to walk the tightrope of good grades in order to maintain the scholarship, all while committing fully to sports. When asked what one of his biggest struggles as a student-athlete is, he said, “It’s a challenge — I have to stay eligible [for the scholarship].” He says as he has been in the United States, he has tried to build his stats and improve his own scores to gain further recognition in the future.
Semedo says he has found special camaraderie among his teammates. Soccer isn’t just American. Because soccer is a national pastime in many countries around the world, this has been a special point of connection for Semedo.“Soccer connects us. That’s why I like it. You could be with Brazilian people, Colombian people, English, German. We are from everywhere.”
In France, he has already completed a two-year degree for a certificate and now studies at NGU as a digital media major. In the future, he plans on connecting broadcast media with his sports career. At 23 years old, Semedo proves that with dedication and zeal, it is possible to follow your dreams, and it is never too late.
