Dynamic Calgary forward Adekugbe brings tons of high-level playing, coaching experience to Griffins
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Not only can she play the game at a high level, bringing previous U SPORTS experience, but the latest addition to the Griffins women's soccer recruiting class is also an accomplished coach.
Ruth Adekugbe, who plays with the Calgary Foothills League 1 team and suited up for the Calgary Dinos during the 2021 Canada West season, will bring her talents north to play for the Griffins in 2024-25, head coach Dean Cordeiro announced Wednesday.
She's been the Academy Director of the Calgary Rangers Soccer Club, an assistant coach with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC since 2022, and lead coach for the Calgary Cavalry girls program in 2023-24.
Soccer is also in her blood as the sister of Canadian men's national team player Sam Adekugbe and longtime Canadian Premier League star Elijah Adekugbe. The family made Calgary their home after emigrating from England.
"I'm really excited about Ruth," said Cordeiro. "She's already a proven player at this level. She had an exceptional first year with the University of Calgary and has four years of eligibility remaining.
"She's someone who can score goals. She plays with dynamic pace and she's Ruth-less – a little play on words there," he added with a laugh. "In the final third, she can score with both feet and beat people on the dribble."
During a decorated youth career in Calgary, Adekugbe won multiple provincial championships and a national title. She also represented Canada at the Gothia Cup tournament, winning silver.
"She's going to add to our talent pool up top and we're looking forward to what Ruth brings to the table and the energy she brings," said Cordeiro.
"She is an important piece to the puzzle and will be a great addition to our team culture and how we do things."
Ruth Adekugbe, right, goes up against new Griffins teammate Anneke Odinga in League 1 action between her Calgary Foothills team and Odinga's St. Albert Impact squad.
Adekugbe played against the Griffins twice in 2021 and Cordeiro notes it was easy to see her impact then, even in limited minutes as a rookie coming off the bench.
"If I remember correctly, the two times we faced them (with her in the lineup), she played as a fullback," said Cordeiro, who plans to play her as a forward at MacEwan. "She is great at fullback because she plays with a lot of energy and pace and can get up and down, but I love the idea of giving her more freedom going forward. She is going to be a force.
"She was a kid we were in on when she was in high school. We had a chat with her then, but she wanted to stay home. Now things have changed and she's looking for a different kind of experience."
With her coaching knowledge – which also includes five years with the Calgary Foothills Soccer Club – Adekugbe also brings a different perspective to the pitch.
"That's especially true with her personality and the swagger she plays with," said Cordeiro. "She's a high-performance coach with the Calgary Rangers soccer club in the Alberta Player Development League. She's coaching the top 2008s and 09s in Calgary. That's an awesome added piece.
"The ability to coach high performance athletes brings another perspective to her profile with us – it makes her game even stronger. She'll see things a little bit differently and will be able to understand concepts a little bit quicker."
