Dominic Samuel (Canadian soccer) facts for kids
Samuel with Forge FC in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dominic Edmund Samuel | ||
| Date of birth | September 29, 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back, Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2008 | East York SC | ||
| 2008–2012 | Sigma FC | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2015 | Southern New Hampshire Penmen | 87 | (15) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014 | Seacoast United Phantoms | 6 | (0) |
| 2015 | Sigma FC | (2) | |
| 2016 | Rochester Rhinos | 26 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Sigma FC | 33 | (3) |
| 2019–2024 | Forge FC | 115 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 22, 2024 | |||
Dominic Edmund Samuel (born September 29, 1994) is a Canadian professional soccer player. He plays as a defender, which means his main job is to stop the other team from scoring goals.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Soccer
Dominic started playing soccer when he was young. He first played for a team called East York SC. Later, he joined another youth team called Sigma FC.
College Soccer Career
In 2012, Dominic went to Southern New Hampshire University. There, he played for their men's soccer team, the Southern New Hampshire Penmen. He scored his first goal for the college team in September 2012.
Dominic was a very successful player during his college years. He received many awards and honors for being a top defender. He was recognized as one of the best players in his conference and even across the country for college soccer. In his final year, he was named the "Northeast-10 Defender of the Year."
Professional Club Career
Dominic Samuel started his professional soccer journey in 2014.
Early Professional Teams
- In 2014, he played for the Seacoast United Phantoms in a league called the Premier Development League.
- In 2015, he played for Sigma FC again, this time in the League1 Ontario league. He was named the "Defender of the Year" for that league and was also chosen as one of the best players in the league.
- After college, Dominic tried out for a team in Major League Soccer, which is the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. He didn't sign with them, but he joined the Rochester Rhinos in 2016. This team played in the United Soccer League, which is a professional league in the U.S.
Returning to Sigma FC
In 2017, Dominic went back to play for Sigma FC for two more seasons. He continued to be a strong defender. In 2018, he was named the "Defender of the Year" in League1 Ontario for the second time! He also made the league's "First-Team All-Star" list again. During his time with Sigma FC, Dominic worked hard off the field too. He had a job at a lumberyard for 10 hours a day before going to soccer practice. On game days, he worked five-hour shifts. This shows how dedicated he was to both his work and his soccer career.
Playing for Forge FC
In February 2019, Dominic Samuel joined Forge FC, a team in the Canadian Premier League. This is Canada's top professional soccer league. He quickly became an important player for the team.
- In 2021, he was a key player in defense, leading his team in blocking shots and winning aerial duels (when players jump to head the ball).
- Dominic helped Forge FC win the Canadian Premier League championship four times! They won in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. The 2023 win came after a 2-1 victory over Cavalry FC in the play-off final.
- After the 2024 season, Dominic left Forge FC.
International Soccer
In April 2011, Dominic Samuel was invited to train with the Canadian national under-17 team. This was a chance for him to represent his country at a younger age level.
Honours and Awards
Dominic Samuel has won several important awards and championships during his career.
Club Achievements
- Forge FC
- Canadian Premier League Champion: 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
Individual Awards
- League1 Ontario Defender of the Year: 2015, 2018
- League1 Ontario First-Team All-Star: 2015, 2018
