Fayia wins program's first Canada West major award, named Student-Athlete Community Service winner
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – For the first time, the MacEwan men's soccer team has a Canada West major award winner.
T-Boy Fayia was named as the recipient of the conference's Student-Athlete Community Service Award on Wednesday.
"I think it's huge," said Griffins head coach Adam Loga. "Obviously it's difficult for every student-athlete in terms of time management and what we ask of them. But with him, in particular, just having to work quite a bit as a security guard at Rogers Place in the casino and such, plus his field study, plus his schooling, plus giving back to the community with Free Play, plus he doesn't have a car, so he's on the LRT or the bus.
"It just speaks volumes to his commitment and his growth as a human."
From the moment he joined the Griffins, the third-year fullback has embodied the values of leadership, perseverance, and service — using sport as a tool to uplift others and give back to the community that helped shape him.
Fayia currently serves as head coach of the Wolves U15 Boys Soccer Team through the Free Play for Kids program, an after-school initiative supporting children from low-income, newcomer, and high-risk backgrounds. With a roster of 18 players, he dedicates countless hours both on and off the field—leading training sessions twice a week, managing games, and helping players navigate registration and day-to-day logistics.
His story is one of full-circle impact. After immigrating to Canada from Liberia, Fayia joined the same Free Play program he now coaches in. He then rose through the ranks to join the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy and later played professionally with FC Edmonton in the Canadian Premier League. When the club ceased operations, he continued his soccer journey with the MacEwan University men's program, balancing academic goals with athletic pursuits.
"It just shows his commitment, his ability and his spirit," said Loga of Fayia's full circle moment. "People want to help T-Boy and it's nice that T-Boy wants to help other people. Tim Adams with Free Footie, now Free Play, gave him a safe place to play when he came over as an immigrant, much like a lot of our lads are.
"For him to not forget that and want to pay it back is massive. He's had obviously a great playing career and has done more than many have."
Beyond coaching, T-Boy is working toward a career in law enforcement, driven by a desire to serve and protect his community with the same commitment he shows on the pitch. His lived experience, professional journey, and dedication to mentorship have made him an inspiring role model for the young athletes he leads.
Under his guidance, the Wolves U15 team competed at the Tier 3 Provincial Championships this summer - a testament to the resilience, growth, and belief he has instilled in his players.
On the field, Fayia has established himself as an elite two-way player, using his electric speed at the fullback position to both shut down the top attackers in Canada West and get forward to create scoring opportunities. His work was behind many of the Griffins' goals this past season, even if it didn't show up on the stats sheet. He finished with one goal in 13 games, but was named to the Griffins' Three Stars list three times, and won the prestigious Sandman Athlete of the Month award as MacEwan's top student-athlete in September.
All of it adds up to a historic moment for the Griffins men's soccer program as Fayia is their first Canada West major award winner.
"It means a lot," said Loga. "We challenged the boys, obviously, to be good on the pitch, but most importantly good people. The last couple years, especially, we've really demanded a higher calibre person and commitment to character with the hiring of Tim Adams, our character development coach, and the volunteer work we've done as a team. Plus, our Team GPA has increased, so we're reaching those goals with our Academic All Canadians.
"We're becoming a very holistic program. We've had some success in the past, obviously making playoffs and seeing guys going pro. But we wanted to challenge ourselves and the staff to be more holistic and this is a perfect example of the work we've done."
