The Jewish Link is excited to welcome Ryan (Reuven) Adeleye and his family to the Englewood community and is eager to explore his expertise as a soccer coach and personal trainer.

Originally from Maplewood, New Jersey, Adeleye was a professional soccer player in Israel, playing on three Israeli teams—Hapoel Beer Sheva, Ashkelon and Yerushalayim. While at the University of North Carolina on a soccer scholarship, he was recruited to play in the 18th Maccabiah games in Israel. Following a match against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, the Be’er Sheva coach approached him and asked if he would be interested in trying out for his team after Maccabiah. After a week-long trial in Be’er Sheva, Adeleye was offered his first professional playing contract.

Although born Jewish with a Nigerian father and a Russian Jewish mother, Adeleye did not grow up observant and knew very little about Israel. With help from his coach in North Carolina he worked to finish his studies, majoring in psychology, and made the move to Israel. At first, he struggled to acclimate to Israeli life but was determined and ultimately enjoyed a 10-year professional soccer career in Israel. During that time, Adeleye met his future wife, who influenced him to become shomer Shabbat. Gradually, as he became more observant, he realized he could not reconcile playing soccer in Israel with being Torah observant, as many games are scheduled on Shabbat.

Adeleye and his family relocated to the United States, where he trained soccer teams in high schools, including coordinating an afterschool program at RYNJ, and worked as a personal trainer, most recently at Equinox in Paramus as well as with private clients. His recent move to Englewood—with his wife, two children and another on the way—has been a perfect fit for the family. They daven at The Benaroya Sephardic Center in Ahavath Torah and the children are enrolled in Ben Porat Yosef for the coming year.

Now a part of such a large and vibrant Jewish community, Adeleye is eager to contribute his fitness expertise. He is available to do family training in private backyards, as well as sports birthday parties, and would love to share details of his life as a professional soccer player..

Adeleye can be reached at 305-965-6492 as well as [email protected].