THE STORY

Why I started TKudi Academy.

I started TKudi Academy because I know what it’s like to chase a dream without knowing what comes next. A lot of the lessons that shaped my career came through experience, mistakes, and time. I built this to share those lessons and help players navigate their own journey with a little more clarity.

A career in chapters

2019

Professional Debut

2020

First Professional Contract

2021

DC United Homegrown

2023

USYNT Call-Up

2025

Colorado Rapids

Today

Recovering. Building. Coming Back.

CHAPTER 01

The Dream

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to become a professional soccer player. It was the only thing I ever wanted.

The problem was, I had no roadmap. I didn’t know what separated good players from professionals or what I needed to do every day to get there. I just knew I wanted it.

I was always one of the smaller players growing up and developed physically much later than most. Because of that, I couldn’t rely on being stronger or faster than everyone else. I had to learn the game. My technique, decision-making, and understanding of soccer became my biggest strengths.

I was fortunate to have a father and coaches who invested countless hours into helping me improve. Looking back, I know how lucky I was to have that support. But I also learned that luck isn’t something you simply wait for—you create more opportunities for yourself by consistently doing the right things.

Unlike many professionals, I stayed in travel soccer longer because I wanted to experience high school soccer and didn't want to make the jump to academy yet. Looking back, leaving for an academy earlier may have helped my development, but at the time it was the right decision for me. Staying gave me confidence, allowed me to grow at my own pace, and helped me enjoy the game. Those years shaped me just as much as anything that came afterward.

Youth national team and early development moment

CHAPTER 02

Joining DC United Academy

Eventually I joined DC United’s Academy.

I remember how nervous I was walking into that environment. Most academy players had been there for years, while I felt like I was already behind. Instead of worrying about everyone else, I put my head down and focused on improving every day.

That mindset paid off. I had a strong first season with the U17s and, on June 28, 2019, I made my professional debut for Loudoun United.

CHAPTER 03

Becoming a Professional

I thought I was working hard. I wasn’t. In reality, it was only the beginning.

The professional game was a completely different level. I thought I was working hard enough, but I quickly realized I wasn’t. The standards were higher than I imagined, and I had to go back to work.

In 2020, at 17 years old, I signed my first professional contract with Loudoun United.

Not long after, COVID shut everything down. During that time I suffered an injury, and instead of only focusing on getting healthy physically, I started paying attention to the mental side of the game.

That period changed my career.

I found a mentor who challenged the way I thought about training, preparation, confidence, and improvement. Through our conversations and training sessions, I developed habits and perspectives that completely changed the way I approached soccer.

When I returned from injury, I wasn’t just healthier—I was a different player.

In 2021, I had my best season with Loudoun United and earned a Homegrown contract with DC United.

United States Youth National Team call-up chapter

Professional match pressure and setbacks

CHAPTER 04

Learning Through Setbacks

Once again, I was starting over.

Breaking into an MLS first team was another level entirely. Minutes became harder to earn, confidence was tested, and there were plenty of moments where it would’ve been easy to become frustrated.

Instead, I went back to the same thing that had always worked.

I got back to work.

I continued learning, improving, asking questions, and trusting the process. In 2023, I had my strongest season with DC United and later that year earned my first United States Youth National Team call-up in Santiago, Chile.

It was an incredible experience, but it also reinforced something I’d already learned.

Every time I reached a new level, the process started over.

The game never stops asking you to improve.

CHAPTER 05

Where I Am Today

In 2024 and 2025, I faced some of the biggest challenges of my career. Injuries began to pile up. I tried to play through them, was traded to a new club, moved across the country for the first time, and had to adapt to another completely new environment.

Now I’m recovering from surgeries on both shoulders.

It’s another setback.

It’s another challenge.

And it’s another opportunity to do what has always moved me forward.

Get back to work.

Professional environment and next chapter

If there’s one lesson my journey has taught me, it’s that there isn’t one breakthrough moment that changes everything. There isn’t one drill, one workout, or one secret that makes you successful.

Progress comes from showing up every day, building good habits, learning from setbacks, and continuing to improve when nobody is watching.

That’s why I created TKudi Academy.

Not because I have all the answers, but because I know how valuable it would’ve been to hear these lessons from someone living them while I was growing up. If sharing my experiences can help another player avoid some of the mistakes I made—or simply give them confidence that they’re on the right path—then this has already been worth it.