Stephen Ademolu’s prowess on a soccer pitch was evident long before he pulled on a uniform for the Canadian men’s national team or played professionally in Europe.

Ademolu helped Parkview Elementary to three straight city boys’ soccer championships from Grade 6 through 8. At Herman Secondary School, he  was a multi-sport star in basketball, football, track and soccer. He went to the provincial high school championships in track three years in a row and won WECSSAA senior championships in basketball (two), football (three), soccer (one) and was named WECSSAA’s offensive football player of the year in his final year. While in high school, he played for two stellar Windsor F.C. Nationals’ soccer teams that won back-to-back Ontario Cups in 2000 and 2001.

Ademolu narrowed his focus for university, playing soccer for two years at University of North Carolina at Pembroke and two years at Cleveland State. Ademolu led UNC at Pembroke in scoring, was named the school’s top male athlete and   Peach Belt Conference rookie of the year. Cleveland State brought more recognition in 2002. Again, he led his collegiate team in scoring and was named Cleveland State’s newcomer of the year. Twice he was recognized as a Horizon Conference first-team all-star and once as first-team all-state.   

Ademolu moved abroad to play professionally from 2005-2011 with stops in Sweden, Norway and Lithuania, appearing in seven UEFA Cup games and four UEFA Champions League games.  Between 2006-2011, he  represented Canada on the national team five times. For all his accomplishments in the game of soccer, Ademolu now takes his rightful place in the Windsor/Essex Sports Hall of Fame.