Written By: Oliver Dahlén
May 13th’s Prinx Tires Cup match against Sporting Jax marked an important moment for Sarasota Paradise as two more young players took the field for their professional debuts, highlighting the club’s commitment to developing emerging talent.
After already having five players make their professional debuts this season, 18-year-old goalkeeper Rockson Amedeka, from Ghana, made his first professional start for Paradise. For the young keeper, the moment represented years of dedication and hard work finally paying off.
“I was very happy with myself when I heard the news that I would be starting,” Amedeka said. “This is what I have been working for my whole life.”
Amedeka joined Paradise from the renowned Right to Dream Academy, one of the world’s leading talent development programs. In the wake of the young man’s debut, the level of excitement for Rockson’s future development continues to increase within the club.
Rockson Amedeka (above) in his debut against Sporting Jacksonville in the USL Prinx Tires Cup
Stepping onto the field for the first time at a professional level is a memorable moment for any player. And Paradise was lucky to have two players making their debut on Wednesday. Joining Amedeka on the field was 19-year-old forward Dominik Brulinski, who signed a USL Academy contract with the club after impressing the club technical staff in the Sarasota Paradise U20 tryouts. While Brulinski was excited to achieve a major personal milestone, his focus remained on helping the team succeed.
“I’m honestly stoked about making my debut,” Brulinski said, “not happy with the result and I wish I can make even more of an impact.”
The Glendale, New York native, Brulinski has enjoyed a prolific season with the Paradise U20s in the UPSL this season, becoming one of the top goal scorers in the league. Prior to his journey to Paradise, Brulinski spent the last four seasons with New York’s Two Bridges Academy.
Dominik Brulinski making his professional debut against Sporting Jacksonville on May 13th
As Sarasota Paradise continues its season, Wednesday night’s match served as another reminder that the club is not only focused on competing today, but also on developing the next generation of talent for the future, and the debuts of Amedeka and Brulinski signify the most recent concrete example of the club’s ambition and vision of building pathways for young players. Emphasizing that commitment after the match, Paradise Head Coach Mika Elovaara stated: ” If you’re good enough, you’re old enough! I am proud of both Rockson and Dominik for the way they have been developing, and I’m happy that they earned their debuts for us. We are going to continue to be a club that’s going to give opportunities for young players as we pursue both our short and long term goals.”
The two debutants join fellow young player Hugo Bäckstrand, who also recently made his professional debut April 8th in the Paradise’s first away game of the season versus Westchester SC. “It was a proud moment for me making my debut. It’s something I’ve been working hard for and a memory I’ll have with me for the rest of my life.“
Hugo Bäckstrand in training