There is nothing special about Curtis Ofori. He’s not that good at soccer.In fact, he’s not even the best player in his household.
That is, according to his siblings, during their backyard competitions.
Curtis’ competitive spirit was fueled early by having five brothers, four of whom are older and were athletes. Each of them refuses to concede anything to the others, and his burgeoning soccer stardom has done little to change that.
“They keep me humble,” the 17-year-old said with a chuckle. “To this day, they’ll still say they’re better than me.”
But the list of others who can realistically make that claim is quickly shortening.
Two years ago, Ofori was the youngest signing in New York Red Bulls II history. Now, the phenom has taken another significant step in his career, signing a “homegrown” contract with the Red Bulls first team earlier this month, which enables him to join the Major League Soccer squad next season.
“I’m ecstatic because the thing I’ve been looking forward to and working toward is actually happening,” the Hopewell Junction native said of his reaction to receiving the offer. “My parents were with me and they couldn’t have been happier. The dream of every little kid playing sports is to be a professional athlete.”
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It was for him as an 8-year-old, when he showed promise early. But few could've imagined he would be in this position now, so soon, being in line for a promotion just weeks after his 17th birthday.
“It’s rare,” Red Bulls Academy director Sean McCafferty said. “Playing in the (United Soccer League) as a 15-year-old, in front of thousands of people. Being that young on a professional team was a sink-or-swim situation, and Curtis has stepped up to every challenge.”
Ofori has shined in two years with the Red Bulls II, the defender finishing second on the team with 37 tackles won last season. His new contract runs through 2025 with an option for the following season.
The comparisons to Tyler Adams now are inescapable as Ofori’s path to this point has mirrored that of the United States men’s national team standout.
Adams, 23, also played two seasons in the USL before a promotion to the Red Bulls at age 17. He later went on to play professionally in Germany, and now England, and has climbed to such heights that he was voted the U.S. captain for the World Cup last month.
“He’s a role model, and what he’s accomplished is a big thing here,” said Ofori, whose family moved to Adams’ hometown of Wappingers Falls three years ago. “He’s been in my position and done it, so I definitely hope to follow in his footsteps. We’re from the same town, the same team. I look at him and say, ‘I aspire to be as good.’”
Ofori’s hope is to play alongside Adams in the 2026 World Cup. That’s lofty, to be sure, but it’s gradually becoming less of a pipedream and more of a feasible goal.
The two Roy C. Ketcham High School products are from soccer-centric families. Adams’ stepfather, Darryl Sullivan, is a former longtime coach and his younger brother, Dylan Sullivan, plays for Clemson University. Ofori’s parents are from Ghana, where soccer is “a huge part of the culture and their lives,” he said. As well, his brother, Ben, plays for Penn State.
“They’re different players at different positions, but there are similarities,” McCafferty said of Ofori and Adams. “Both of them as teenagers have the intelligence, confidence and talent to compete against adults.”
There's something special about Ofori
He began playing soccer as a 3-year-old and, within a few years, showed a natural aptitude while starring in the Wappingers youth league. His performance at a Regional Development School camp in 2017 earned him an invitation to try out for the Red Bulls Academy. He joined their Under-13 squad and has cleared several benchmarks since.
Playing at the MLS level began to seem like an attainable goal, Ofori said, once he made it onto the Red Bulls II team.
“During our practices, you look across at the turf field and see the first team practicing,” he said. “Seeing that from up close, and you start envisioning yourself there.”
Ofori is a talented athlete with good speed, coordination, and footwork. He also has worked diligently to gain strength and add muscle to his 5-foot-10 frame, complimenting his aggressive style at left back. His explosiveness and lower-body strength are eye-catching traits, McCafferty said.
It wasn’t easy being a kid playing against men, sometimes 10 years his senior, Ofori admitted. But, he said, it helps training alongside adult teammates and understanding what’s required.
“An important aspect is believing that I’m just as good and as skillful as them,” he said. “Confidence is a big part of it.”
Competence, too, of course.
Ofori, McCafferty said, excels at pressing ball-handlers and breaking passing lines, making forward runs and sending quality passes into the box. He also is “relentless in his energy” and works hard to improve his technical skills.
“He’s a fantastic young man,” McCafferty said. “His success isn’t surprising based on his dedication to his craft and his make-up. He’s got a great personality, which helps in any locker room, and he has the social intelligence to know how to act in any situation, so he’s able to fit in despite being young.”
The organizational plan is for Ofori to begin the 2023 season with the Red Bulls II, getting additional seasoning, and ready himself for a potential call-up later in the year. Almost like a heralded baseball prospect getting a final tuning in Triple A.
“He and his parents understand that this is just a step and what’s ahead is more difficult,” McCafferty said. “He knows it’s not a sprint, but he is ambitious… He’s got an exciting future.”
Ofori now is a high school senior, though he no longer attends Ketcham. Given the demands of his training and game schedule, and the Red Bulls being based in New Jersey, he shifted last year to an online curriculum through the Edgenuity program.
“I get up, go to practice and, as soon as I get back, my focus is on school,” he said. “Soccer and good grades are my priorities. My life is pretty boring outside of that.”
Well, an exception being the backyard during family barbecues, when he has to school his big brothers.
Stephen Haynes:shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com;845-437-4826;Twitter:@StephenHaynes4
