No stopping this fire
New father sapong is a busy man — and hewouldn’t have it any otherway
“When you are able to put effort towards things that you are passionate about, it becomes pretty fun, honestly. It doesn’t mean it’s not hard, but I think that’s whatwe all need to go through to be able to maximize our potential out here.”
CJ Sapong
The last few months haven’t been quiet for Fire forward CJ Sapong. Sapong is involved in the Black Players For Change coalition of MLS players and has been a powerful and important voice on racial issues via both traditional and social media. He also is active in the MLS
Players Association and was part of the negotiations that allowed the season to restart. On top of that, he welcomed a baby daughter, causing him to leave the team and miss five games due to health and safety protocols.
And like his teammates, he has had to navigate life in a pandemic while maintaining the sharpness necessary to play highlevel soccer.
“It’s been a whirlwind for sure, externally,” Sapong said. “But I give credit to the different practices that I have taken on throughout my career and my life. I am pretty fortunate to say that I’ve been able to stay pretty grounded through it all. I’m somebody that when trial and tribulation hits me, I kind of try to transmute that into something positive. It ends up actually providing fuel to the fire.”
A Fire forward since 2019, Sapong has been active in the communities in which he has played. In 2017, he founded Sacred Seeds, which aims “to bring income-generating resources and technology as well as nourishment to underserved communities so that they may thrive for generations to come.”
Now, Sapong’s got even more on his plate, but he seems energized and compelled to act.
“Whether it’s trying to get fit, NICU appointments in the morning and in the day FaceTime appointments with doctors, talking to the BPC trying to understand how we can actually initiate change as opposed to just saying words . . . it’s a lot, but I truly do feel like it’smy duty,” Sapong said. “When you are able to put effort towards things that you are passionate about, it becomes pretty fun, honestly. It doesn’t mean it’s not hard, but I think that’s what we all need to go through to be able to maximize our potential out here.”
After scoring 13 times last season and emerging as one of the Fire’smost consistent and versatile attackers, Sapong needed until last Sunday against D.C. United to score his first goal not on a penalty kick. Sunday also was the first time Sapong has gone the full 90 minutes since July 14 against Seattle during the MLS is Back Tournament.
But if the Fire (5-8-4, 19 points) are going to make the playoffs, Sapong should figure in on any run up the standings.
“For me it’s a personal achievement to be able to come in, to start after I have not started for a while,” Sapong said. “That goal was, I think, just a testament to the work that I have put in. I do have a lot of things going on, and soccer is my escape, my channel to happiness. Whenever you can, you know, achieve something personally but then also provide an impact for your team is always a good feeling.”