FC Columbus forward Damani Camara was named National Premier Soccer League player of the week.
Camara tallied five goals over three matches, including a hat-trick against Grand Rapids FC and a brace against Toledo Villa FC.
“There’s no secret but hard work, it’s always fueling time,” Camara said.
Born in New York, Camara grew up in Guinea. He played for a local amateur club called FC Yakus in Guinea. He came back to the U.S. in his late teens, attending high school in Columbus.
“The FC Columbus coaching staff is elated to see Damani realizing the fruits of his labor,” FC Columbus owner-head coach Maziya Chete said. “As a club, we put a lot of time into developing the technical qualities of players starting in early January, and he has always been a motivated and hungry participant. We look forward to seeing him continue to refine his offensive prowess and expand his game.”
Camara joined FC Columbus in the team’s inaugural season after being noticed in several adult leagues in the Columbus area. He scored the club’s first-ever goal against Milwaukee in 2018 and finished with 11 goals.
He earned Football Manager team of the week honors three times in addition to being named to the NPSL Great Lakes Conference Starting XI in last year. After the 2018 NPSL season, he went to Germany and joined Türkspor Augsburg.
The NPSL player of the week is determined by a vote of media members from across the country.