Ashani Fairclough facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | August 7, 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Portmore, Jamaica | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2012 | South Florida Bulls | 78 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012 | VSI Tampa Flames | 5 | (0) |
| 2013 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Wilmington Hammerheads | 32 | (3) |
| 2015 | Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 12 | (1) |
| 2016 | Wilmington Hammerheads | 24 | (5) |
| 2017 | Charlotte Independence | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| Jamaica U17 | |||
| Jamaica U20 | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2024– | Tampa Bay Sun (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 18, 2017 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 7, 2010 |
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Ashani Fairclough (born August 7, 1992) is a former professional soccer player from Jamaica. He played as a defender. Today, he is an assistant coach for the USL Super League club Tampa Bay Sun.
Contents
Ashani Fairclough's Soccer Journey
Starting Young in Soccer
Ashani Fairclough showed great talent in soccer from a young age. When he was just fifteen years old in 2007, he was the captain of Jamaica's Under-17 national team. This was a big achievement for someone so young.
A year later, many college scouts noticed his skills. Ashani decided to attend the University of South Florida. He was one of the youngest Jamaican athletes to go to college, starting when he was only sixteen.
Playing College and Amateur Soccer
From 2009 to 2012, Ashani played college soccer for the South Florida Bulls. During this time, he also played for a team called VSI Tampa Flames in the USL PDL league in 2012. The USL PDL is a league where amateur players can gain experience.
Becoming a Professional Player
Even though Ashani Fairclough was not chosen in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, he still got a chance to play professionally. He signed with Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC on March 22, 2013. He had shown strong skills during their pre-season tryouts. However, he left the team on June 27, 2013, without playing in a first-team game.
On April 2, 2014, Ashani signed with the USL Pro club Wilmington Hammerheads. He quickly made an impact. On May 6, 2014, he was named to the USL Pro team of the week. By the end of the 2014 USL PRO season, Ashani Fairclough was recognized as one of the best players in the league. He was named to the USL PRO first team of the year.
Playing for His Country
Ashani Fairclough also represented his home country, Jamaica. He was a member of the 2009 Jamaica national Under-20 team. This means he played for Jamaica's national team for players under 20 years old.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Ashani Fairclough moved into coaching. In 2024, he joined the coaching staff of the Tampa Bay Sun. This team is part of the new USL Super League.
Awards and Achievements
Individual Awards
- USL Pro All-League First Team: 2014 (This means he was chosen as one of the best players in the USL Pro league in 2014.)
