Nathan Agadzi is a winner

By Dan Plouffe

It’s not only on the football field that Nathan Agadzi’s intensity, dedication and model-player attributes shine through — it can be seen the moment he starts talking about the sport.

“ I feel like I’m better. I feel like I’ve trained harder. I feel like I’ve prepared myself even better, so I’m gonna win,” the Stinger outside linebacker said. “You wanna run with the ball? OK, I’m gonna be there to meet you at the line of scrimmage.”

It’s Agadzi’s mental approach to the game of football that has made him a standout defensive weapon for Concordia — and it’s also what inspired head coach Gerry McGrath to name him one of the team’s captains, even though Agadzi is only in his second year with the squad.

“That doesn’t happen very often, but Nathan has tremendous leadership ability, he’s a very good student, a very important person on the football field for us, but more important probably in the locker room,” McGrath explained,

“He’s a big part of the engine that makes us go. He’s very nurturing to first-year players. He exudes confidence and makes everyone around him better.”

Being a leader is something Agadzi is accustomed to, serving as captain on almost every team he’s ever played on. He has only played football since 1999 after deciding that his five years of hockey didn’t provide him with enough contact. He began playing football in his hometown of Brampton, Ont., with his high school, where he graduated with honours.

He then moved on to Vanier College in hopes of generating interest from the university level. After two successful seasons there, he arrived at Concordia and managed to crack the starting lineup in first year — a very rare feat for a rookie.

“What I made sure I did was that every time at practice, I tried to pay attention to detail, make sure I know everything that’s going on to make myself a better player,” Agadzi said.

“Even when I’m not in, I’m taking visual reps — standing behind my position and acting like I’m in there so I can get better. [The coaches] saw that I work hard at practice, they saw that I’m relentless to the ball, they saw that I’m relentless to learn, so that put me in a better position.”

Agadzi proved that he belonged on the field as a starter in his first three games this year, until the Stingers travelled to St. Mary’s to take on the top-ranked team in the country. That’s when he showed that there may be a star in the making.

With 2004 President’s Trophy winner (for top defensive player in Canadian Interuniversity Sport football) Mickey Donovan on the sidelines with an injury, Agadzi was asked to step in at the crucial middle linebacker position.

“He just jumped in there. And not having repped very much at middle linebacker, for him to go out and do what he did, first of all was a major step in us winning the game against a very good football team,” McGrath remembered.

“We could ask Nathan to do anything and he would do it well and he would do it with all his heart.”

Led in tackles

Agadzi led the team in tackles and also forced a fumble that he returned for 38 yards en route to the Stingers’ 29-10 upset of the St. Mary’s Huskies.

He has continued on the same route, winning Quebec defensive player-of-the-week honours earlier this season in a win against Bishop’s.

“I don’t know that there’s too many linebackers in the country that would be better than Nathan, and he’s only in his second year,” McGrath said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt he’ll be an All-Canadian at some point before he’s done.”

The Stingers’ play the Shrine Bowl this Saturday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. at Loyola against the Université de Montréal Carabins. It is key to realize their goal of hosting a playoff game.