Adebayo Dikko did not plan on going to college in Ohio. The junior right back from Nigeria was scouted at a tournament in Italy, offered a spot on the University of Dayton men’s soccer roster and had a decision to make.
“When this offer came, I spoke to people close to me about it,” Dikko said. “They said, at least you end up getting a degree, and there’s always life after soccer.”
He took the offer. Adjusting to life in Dayton took time, but Dikko arrived with a philosophy that has served him well ever since.
“The transition wasn’t small, I had to adapt,” he said. “That’s the best thing an athlete can have: adaptability.”
Finding His Footing
Two teammates were instrumental in helping Dikko settle in. One had come from Africa himself and gave him the full picture of life at UD.
“He was filling me in — this is what you have to do, this is when you have to do it, this is how you have to do it,” Dikko said.
His first year on the field brought its own adjustment. Dikko did not see much playing time early, but he used it to study the game at the college level, get his body right and understand how American college soccer works. He approaches setbacks the same way he approaches everything else.
“Coming here was demanding at first, having to balance classes, practice and family at the same time,” he said. “But in the end, I found the balance.”
A True Community
Off the field, Dikko found something he did not quite expect: a sense of belonging.
“It’s more of a community thing here at UD,” he said. “You barely see people alone. When you’re walking around campus, you see them in groups, working all together. It’s more of a collective thing rather than an individual thing. There’s a real community here, and it's very refreshing to see.”
He sees the same spirit within the team, even with teammates from different backgrounds.
“The American guys are open-minded, friendly, we vibe and have fun together,” he said.
On the Field and in the Classroom
In the classroom, Dikko is majoring in sport management with an eye toward a career that keeps him close to the game, whether as a player, a coach or a scout. A practicum course last semester gave him a first look at the work that happens behind the scenes.
“I might eventually be a coach one day, or a scout,” he said. “Understanding how recruitment works, understanding profiles of players — this is the player a particular team needs, or budget. This kind of thing.”
He credits his professor, Peter J. Titlebaum, for pushing him in the classroom.
“He was very demanding, which was something I needed,” Dikko said. “To stay on my feet and not get complacent.”
Dikko hopes to play professionally after graduation. Whatever comes next, he has no doubt UD has prepared him for it.
“Everything we do is soccer,” he said. “If it is demanding, it is surely rewarding.”