Jelani Smith facts for kids
Smith in action against USF in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jelani Akil Smith | ||
| Date of birth | January 1, 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Position(s) | Defender, forward | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2011 | Florida Gulf Coast Eagles | 49 | (5) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007 | Canadian Lions | ||
| 2008 | Italia Shooters | 11 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Toronto Lynx | 11 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Sturm Graz II | 3 | (0) |
| 2016 | SSV Jeddeloh | 7 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Sigma FC | 31 | (0) |
| Total | 63 | (2) | |
| International career | |||
| 2017–2018 | Guyana | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jelani Akil Smith, born on January 1, 1991, is a former football player. He now works as the Director of Soccer Operations for Forge FC, a team in the Canadian Premier League. Jelani was born in Canada, but he played for the Guyana on the international stage.
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Jelani Smith's Football Journey
Jelani Smith started playing football when he was young. He played for the Ontario Under-16 Provincial team. He also trained at the National Training Center.
Early Club Career
In 2007, Jelani became one of the youngest players in the Canadian Soccer League. He played for the Canadian Lions. The next year, he moved to the Italia Shooters. With the Shooters, his team won the International Division title.
In 2009, Jelani decided to play college soccer in the United States. He joined the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. During the off-season, he played for the Toronto Lynx for two seasons. The Lynx team was part of the USL Premier Development League.
Playing Abroad
In 2013, Jelani went to Europe to play football. He signed with Sturm Graz in Austria. He mostly played for their second team, Sturm Graz II, in a league called the Regionalliga Mitte.
Later, in 2016, he played in Germany for SSV Jeddeloh in the Niedersachsenliga. After that, he returned to Canada. He joined Sigma FC in League1 Ontario.
Playing for His Country
Jelani Smith also had the chance to play for his country.
Canada Under-20 Team
On May 25, 2010, Jelani was invited to a training camp for the Canada Under-20 team. The camp was held in the Netherlands.
Guyana National Team
Jelani made his first international appearance for the Guyana national football team on November 14, 2017. This was a friendly match against the Trinidad and Tobago team.
Life After Playing: Managerial Career
After his playing career, Jelani Smith moved into a management role in football.
Working with Forge FC
He was first brought to Canadian Premier League team Forge FC as a player. However, he was instead signed as the club's manager of soccer operations. This means he helped manage how the team runs its football activities.
In May 2023, Jelani was promoted. He became the club's new Director of Soccer Operations. In this role, he helps make important decisions about the team's football side.
Personal Life
Jelani Smith has a brother named Jamaal Smith. Jamaal was also a football player and played for Guyana, just like Jelani.
