Blazers MSC Add More Experienced Talent in the Midfield with Oshode
The CMU Men's Soccer program is very pleased to announce the commitment of Taiwo Oshode for the 2024-25 MCAC season. The Kildonan East grad of 2019 has continued to sharpen his skills on the pitch in the MMSL here in Manitoba while beginning his post-secondary studies at the University of Manitoba.
A native of Ogun State, Nigeria, Oshode and the rest of his immediate family transitioned to Canada in 2018 in time to start his final year of high school, which he completed at Kildonan East and played his one short outdoor season as a Reiver. Since then, Oshode has been studying at the University of Manitoba in the Science program but will be transferring to the Business Program here at Canadian Mennonite University.
Over the last four years, Oshode has been competing in the premier and division 1 of the MMSL with Goal City, where he has been patrolling the midfield for the team that has seen quite a lot of recent success. Goal City won the Division 1 playoffs in 2021, the same championship run that saw Oshode named the league playoff MVP. They followed up that campaign with another Division 1 playoff win in 2023 after finishing second after league play. That season Oshode was named the Most Improved Player for the squad, hinting at the continued development in his game leading into the current season in which the team was promoted to the top Premier Division as they finish up the schedule in the next few weeks.
Oshode lives and breathes sports, and so it's not unexpected that he's excited to join the CMU soccer community and continue learning as much about the game as he can. Blazers Men's Soccer co-Head Coach Gode Katembo is also excited to see Oshode suit up for the green and gold this year and is eager to see what he can bring to the team. "Taiwo is a remarkable addition to our squad. His composure on the ball, strategic vision, and ability to distribute long passes with precision make him a game-changer. We're confident that his talent will greatly enhance our team's dynamic and bring out the best in our players." The two got connected through some recent Blazers, and although Oshode has not yet had the chance to represent Nigeria at Manitoba's Canadian African Cup of Nations tournament spearheaded by Katembo, he hopes to get involved in future summers.
The Blazers' latest signing will get a chance to show his talents on the pitch very soon, as he's set to depart for Red Deer Alberta this week for CCAA exhibitions hosted at the ACAC powerhouse Red Deer Polytech. Last year the team went 3-0 on the pre-season tuneup, and will hope this year's games will translate to a quick start to the MCAC season, which starts at home against the Providence Pilots on Sunday, September 8th.
The winner of the Manitoba Collegiate Athletics Conference earns the right to represent the province at the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA) National Championships at the conclusion of the outdoor season, which the Blazers look to accomplish now entering the fourth year that the MCAC has been fully included in the Canada-wide conference. Blazers Men's Soccer last hoisted the provincial trophy in the fall of 2018 in Pereira's first season at the helm, while their most recent Men's Futsal championship was in the spring of 2020.
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