Participating in the Dynamo Academy since its launch in 2006, 16-year-old C.J. Odenigwe has watched the development program grow and change over the past two years. The academy opened hosting 53 athletes but expanded to contain about 70 players on the top two teams and plenty more in the younger ranks.
As an original member of the academy, the central defender's development has progressed hand-in-hand with the advancement of the system. Odenigwe welcomes the program's growth, a necessary and driving force that has propelled the program to elite status.
"With more people being brought into the academy, you are hungrier for your position," Odenigwe said. "I see a lot more competition. Everyone is taking the academy very seriously, and if we keep at this rate, we are really going to get somewhere with this academy."
A student at Fort Bend Travis High School, Odenigwe's appetite for competition is a product of a hearty work ethic, one instilled in him at the age of 10. Recalling a former coach, Odenigwe cited his mentor's encouragement to push himself to the limit, and he applies this lesson every day at practice with the sweat needed to improve his game.
Odenigwe's labor yielded a spot on the Dynamo Academy's inaugural U-15 roster, and the member of the back line received a promotion to the U-18 team the following year. The First Colony Eclipse player has improved his technique and decision making, in addition to bolstering his already sound confidence.
This self-assurance assisted Odenigwe during two trips to Mexico, one to Monterrey and another to Guadalajara. During the February visit to Guadalajara, the center back shined in a defense that earned a pair of shutouts in three academy matches, blanking Chivas San Rafael 3-0 and Atlas Guadalajara 1-0.
Not a one-dimensional player, Odenigwe's offensive presence was felt on the scoreboard in Mexico as well. In the final minute of the Atlas tilt, the 6-footer headed home the game's only tally, granting the Dynamo Academy victory in dramatic fashion. The contest's hero said his confidence gives him a unique edge over his opponents.
"It has helped me because I have been able to play against players that I thought were better than me," Odenigwe said. "After a while training with the academy, you realize that you can be just as good as anyone else and can compete at the highest level."
Odenigwe will compete with the Dynamo Academy at the elite level during this year's MLS Youth Cup, to be hosted in Denver, Colo., July 3-10. The U-17 team will line-up against academies of several MLS franchises, with the tournament champion earning the right to play in a prestigious tournament in Spain next summer.
In anticipation of the trip to Colorado, Odenigwe is eager to compare his team to teams around the country in hopes of proving that the back-to-back MLS Cup title winning franchise is a champion at the youth level as well.
The sophomore is determined to return to Houston with the tournament crown and owns the strong will to make it happen. No matter the cost - a 20-minute cab ride has been his only mode of transportation to several practices - Odenigwe believes his efforts will have a significant impact.
"It is a stage in your life where you have to put in work, and what you put in is what you are going to get back," Odenigwe said. "I have to put in everything I have got to get what I want. I have to make sure that nothing I do is a waste. Everything I do has to have meaning, because I am looking towards the future right now."
With ample dedication, Odenigwe possesses the crucial character traits to achieve his goals of receiving a scholarship to a strong university, earning protected-player status, and winning a position on the Dynamo first team.
"C.J. has excellent character on and off of the field. He has a tremendous work-ethic and determination, which has helped his continued development," Dynamo Director of Youth Development James Clarkson said. "We see a bright future for him if he continues with the same level of effort that he brings every day."
For more information on the Dynamo Academy and other youth development programs, log on to http://houston.mlsnet.com/t200/youth/.
