Fro Adu

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Fro Adu (born Fredua Akoto Adu) is a Ghanaian-American soccer defender. He is the younger brother of SL Benfica midfielder Freddy Adu by two years.

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[edit] General info

'Fro' Adu was born in the port city of Tema in Ghana, West Africa on on May 23, 1991. He is the younger brother of US soccer phenom Freddy Adu who is currently playing for the Portuguese side SL Benfica. Fro and brother Freddy share the same first and last names, a cultural tradition in Ghana,[1] both brothers are named Fredua Adu — Fro's middle name is Akoto while Freddy's is Koranteng. Fro was introduced to soccer on a sandlot in Ghana, where he played pickup, barefoot, against much older boys.[2] He was six years old when he emigrated to the United States with his family from Ghana after his mother Emelia won the Green Card Lottery, and he and his family moved to Washington, D.C.[3] In 2003 he became a U.S. citizen. He and his mother live in a Potomac, Maryland home purchased by brother Freddy.[4]

He became a certified soccer referee to get a better grasp of the rules and see the game from a different perspective — and transferred to Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, MD of the Interstate Athletic Conference. Fro moved to the starting lineup of the soccer team as a freshman and has served as team captain since his junior year.[5] In 2001 Fro joined the Potomac Cougars soccer squad, the same squad Freddy led to a national title. Fro helped lead the Potomac Cougars to win Maryland State Cups at the under-15 and U-16 levels in 2003 and 2004. Currently he is a 5 foot 10 inch soccer defender with a slight build, and was reported by The Washington Post to have been the best player on the Georgetown Prep team.[6]

[edit] Relationship with brother Freddy

"Everybody thinks I'm jealous of Freddy, but I'm not," said Fro. "I'm proud of Freddy, I look up to Freddy. He is my role model. We're two different players. So there's nothing for us to compete about. . . . I hope that when I'm older I get the chance to play against him. I hope it will be up to me to stop him [in a game]."[7] Freddy said, "We have a lot of fun together, always joking around, just like any brothers."[8] According to The Washington Post Fro competes regularly in his free time against older brother Freddy in various activities such as FIFA 2004 for the Xbox.[9] "Anything that involves competition, Freddy usually wins," Fro said. "We once played FIFA 2004 so long, for like hours. Freddy won in penalty kicks."[10]

[edit] Interests

Fro posts self-written and fully-produced rap tunes on his MySpace page. "I write my own lyrics and generally songs with messages — love songs, songs telling my peers not to drink or smoke. Because I don't do any of that stuff."[11] Fro plans to study psychology, become a chef and finish college in four years. "I definitely want to graduate, because Freddy obviously didn't go to college," he says. "So my mom is definitely looking for me to go. But right now, my mind is on graduating from high school and just going to college and becoming a better player and stronger. I want to get known and make my own name."[12]

[edit] Fro's future

Fro graduated at age 16 from Georgetown Preparatory School, where he played four years of varsity soccer.[13] Fro currently plays soccer at George Mason University.[14] "Fro comes to Mason as someone who possesses a good combination of talent and character, he is a winner who exudes confidence in a positive and influential manner. He has excellent athletic ability, soccer intelligence and is a great fit for Mason's style of play. Fro is a natural leader and is the type of player who makes the athletes around him better." said former Columbus Crew and current GMU coach Greg Andrulis, "Although Fro has accomplished so much at a young age, the encouraging thing is that we feel he has just begun to reach his true potential. We expect Fro to make an immediate impact on Mason's soccer program."[15] "Honestly, I don't know exactly what I'm going to be," Adu said. "All I know is I'm going to be someone."[16]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  2. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  3. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/news/2003/03/03/freddy/ Who's Next? Freddy Adu At 13, America's soccer prodigy has the world at his feet
  4. ^ http://www.sptimes.com/2007/01/12/Sports/Forging_his_own_path.shtml Forging His Own Path
  5. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/news/2003/03/03/freddy/ Who's Next? Freddy Adu At 13, America's soccer prodigy has the world at his feet
  6. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  7. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  8. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  9. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  10. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43262-2004Oct18_2.html The Name's the Same, But He's His Own Adu
  11. ^ http://www.sptimes.com/2007/01/12/Sports/Forging_his_own_path.shtml Forging His Own Path
  12. ^ http://www.sptimes.com/2007/01/12/Sports/Forging_his_own_path.shtml Forging His Own Path
  13. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2781514 Freddy's younger brother signs with George Mason
  14. ^ Player Bio: Fro Adu :: Men's Soccer
  15. ^ http://www.soccertimes.com/ncaa/2007/mnews/feb26.htm Fro Adu Signs To Play With George Mason
  16. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=408372&cc=5901 Fro Adu steps out from under his brother's shadow

[edit] External links