The Deu Awuok Show

Hi ladies and gents, welcome to Episode 33 of The Deu Awuok Show, where I interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their journeys through the beautiful game.

In this episode, I sit down with Jaden Thomas, a player for the Stanford Women's Soccer Team and the U.S. Youth National Team.

We discuss her experience winning Gatorade State Player of the Year, representing the United States at the youth international level, and balancing elite soccer with rigorous academics. We also dive into the challenges of recovering from two ACL injuries.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Hi ladies and gents, welcome to episode 32 of The Deu Awuok Show, where it is my job to interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their life journeys around the beautiful game.

In this episode, I’m joined by Jack Roberts, a former Princeton student-athlete and current Harvard Business School classmate.

Jack shares his unique journey as a two-sport varsity athlete, including his experience captaining both the soccer and golf teams. We discuss the challenges of balancing elite athletics, academics, recruiting for Wall Street, and maintaining a fulfilling social life.

We also explore the adversity he faced through a major injury and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his collegiate experience.

Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy the episode

Hi ladies and gents, welcome to episode 31 of The Deu Awuok Show, where it is my job to interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their life journeys around the beautiful game.

In this episode, I speak with Madison Hammond, a professional soccer player for the Utah Royals in the National Women Soccer League. Amongst other things, we talk about her experience recruiting and playing D1 soccer at Wake Forest, becoming the first Native American to play in the NWSL and the importance of mental health. 

I hope you enjoy this insightful episode with a true pioneer!

Hi ladies and gents, welcome to Episode 30 of The Deu Awuok Show, where I interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their journeys through the beautiful game.

In this episode, I sit down with Jonny Tekie, a former NCAA Division I soccer player at Canisius University and a product of the Eintracht Frankfurt Academy in Germany.

We discuss Jonny's experience growing up and playing soccer in Frankfurt, his path through the college recruiting process, and the challenges of adapting to life in the United States. We also dive into the difficult decision to step away from pursuing a professional soccer career and transition into a career in finance.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Hi ladies and gents, welcome to episode 29 of The Deu Awuok Show, where it is my job to interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their life journeys around the beautiful game.

In this episode, I speak with Micheal Tanke, the Head Soccer Coach at Canisius University. Amongst other things, we talk about his obsession with soccer growing up, playing collegiate and professional footy and now coaching NCAA Division Soccer. Coach Tanke has a wealth of experience playing, scouting and coaching the beautiful game. 

For those interested in playing at the collegiate or professional level, Michael shares some very valuable insights and advice. I hope you enjoy the episode!

Hi ladies and gents, welcome to episode 28 of The Deu Awuok Show, where it is my job to interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their life journeys around the beautiful game.

In this episode, I speak with Elizabeth Eddy, a recently retired soccer player. Amongst other things, we talk about her experience playing youth soccer and representing the youth national team, her college recruiting process, and her decision to commit to USC. More importantly, we discuss her New York Post Op-Ed calling on the National Women's Soccer League to adopt gender standards. We spent considerable time discussing a very nuanced and sensitive topic that is often politicized.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

With the greatest sporting tournament kicking off today, here are my World Cup predictions for the summer.

“It’s coming home!” I’ve got England going all the way, while I think heavyweights like Portugal and Brazil could fall short of expectations.

France and Spain are rightly among the favorites; they’re loaded with talent. But Spain’s injury concerns and France’s (potential issues) with attacking chemistry and defensive vulnerabilities give me pause.

Those are my early calls. Agree? Disagree? Who do you have lifting the trophy? 👀🏆

Hi ladies and gents,

Welcome to Episode 27 of The Deu Awuok Show, where I interview professional and collegiate soccer players about their journeys through the beautiful game.

In this episode, I sit down with JD Gunn, professional goalkeeper for the New England Revolution and the Panama national football team. We discuss his upbringing in Panama, his unique experience representing his country in both basketball and soccer, and the lessons he learned along the way.

We also dive into his unconventional path to the professional ranks—from starting at a Division II program, transferring to a Division I school, earning an MLS NEXT Pro contract, and ultimately breaking into the New England Revolution's first team.

I hope you enjoy the conversation!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to The Deu Awuok Show, where I interview professional and
collegiate soccer players about their life journeys through the
beautiful game.

In this episode, I share some context behind my long hiatus and
reflect on my MBA application journey and the lessons I learned along
the way. I stepped away from several hobbies—including this podcast—to
focus on applying to top business schools around the world. I’m
grateful that those efforts paid off, as I was recently accepted into
Harvard Business School, along with several other Ivy League
institutions.

As I looked back on the challenge of balancing a demanding Private
Equity role with the intensity of the application process, a few
important life lessons were reinforced—lessons I wanted to share with
our listeners.

These include: 1) running your own race, 2) maintaining a growth
mindset, and 3) focusing on the inputs while becoming deserving of
what you want.

I’m excited to be back on the pod and to continue having meaningful
conversations around the beautiful game!