MONROVIA, Montserrado – A 13-year-old playing in a grown man’s league is something unusual. Not just in Liberia, but in the world.

But don’t tell that to McKenzie Sackie, who used his vacation time to join ELWA sub-committee football league club, Reeves FC for the remainder of the 2016 league season.

McKenzie, who plays as an offensive midfielder, played a very crucial role as his Reeves FC clinched the 2016 league title. The lad was voted as the best young player of the competition and has quickly set his eyes on the Most Valuable Player award for the 2017 league season.

“I’m very happy to win this award. It’s a great motivation for my career. Now, I will have to work harder to win more. This year, I’ve won the best young player award, and next year I will aim for the MVP award. It sounds difficult, but I feel I can do it because I believe in myself, and I’m ready to work harder,” he said.

He may appear too small to play at the third division level, but he revealed to The Bush Chicken that it had been his dream, and he wasn’t afraid to take up the challenge, because of the encouragement from his father.

“It has been a dream for me to play at this level. I knew it was never going to be an easy task, but with the backing of my father, I was able to do it. When I first arrived on Reeves training ground, it was funny to everybody because it’s very strange to see someone of my age wanting to play among bigger guys. I was nervous, but had to go through training because I wanted to fulfill my dream,” he said.

He further thanked Reeves head coach, Emmanuel Kehkeh, who believed in his ability, encouraged him and gave him the opportunity to make his third division league debut at a very young age.

He added: “It was my dream to play in the third division league at this age, but I wouldn’t have fulfilled that dream without the coach. Every time I go for training, he encouraged me and always told me I could achieve it. He believed in my ability and compared me with some of the team’s top players. That along encouraged me to take up the challenge.”

McKenzie will now continue his career with his Reeves FC as the team prepares for the upcoming third division play-offs games.

Featured photo by T. Kla Wesley Jr.