A couple things to know about Abdou Samake, especially now that Valour FC’s rabid fan base has been officially introduced to the club’s newest signee:

First, as a versatile defender and former Canadian Premier League champion with Pacific FC, he is eager to get to Winnipeg and be a part of Valour’s quest for success.

“I know Valour is fighting to get out of that underdog position,” began Samake in a chat with valourfootball.club Monday afternoon. “As soon as I got talking with Phil (Dos Santos, Valour’s GM and head coach), I loved his ideas and what he’s about. I also got the chance over the past couple of seasons to see how their playing style developed. It’s in a great place and an exciting project.”

And second, as an immigrant from Mali to Canada when he was six years old, he hardly needs the warnings about Winnipeg winters which every newcomer gets upon signing in Manitoba.

“Oh, no, I’m not scared of the cold at all,” he said with a chuckle. “This is all part of my journey in football.”

Samake’s journey – not just in football, but in life – has been a fascinating odyssey. His parents made the decision to leave Mali when he was a youngster to give their children – including Samake’s three sisters – better opportunities. That story, especially for so many of us who occasionally take this country for granted, simply never gets old.

“I remember seeing snow for the first time, but I also remember just how hard my parents worked so my sisters and I could have the opportunity of growing up in a stable society and getting a good education,” Samake said. “They wanted me to have all the opportunities that are afforded everyone in this great country which, unfortunately, aren’t available in Mali.

“They worked so that we could be in comfortable situations so that we could flourish. I always come back to how grateful I am for that because my three sisters all got college degrees and I was able to study and play in the U.S. I take great pride in that.”

Samake did more than just study and play in the U.S., he blossomed during his days at the University of Michigan. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection from 2017-19, he was also named to the conference’s All-Tournament Team as a senior and named the Michigan’s Club Man of the Year while graduating with a degree from the School of Literature, Science and Arts program.

That ceremony – with his father Mamadou and his mother Christine in attendance – is still as vivid as if it happened yesterday.

“I can’t even explain it. That is one of my best memories,” Samake said. “To get a scholarship, to play, and eventually get a degree… for me to be able to do something to make them proud and have them not have to worry about me because whatever my livelihood will be was so important.

“Now I just play freely. I’m pushing my football to the limits and for me it’s not about prestige or anything like that, it’s about excellence. I play to excel at the game. That’s what drives me.”

First signed to the Montreal Impact’s reserve side, FC Montreal, in 2015, Samake also has experience with the Chicago Fire U23 and then Chicago FC United. He spent the last three seasons with Pacific FC, winning a CPL championship in 2021 and making 53 appearances over that span.

His minutes fell from 2,410 in ’21 to 1,403 last season as he fought to keep his spot in the starting XI. And, make no mistake, Samake isn’t complaining about that one iota.

Sometimes, however, change can be invigorating.

“I got to play and I’m grateful for the minutes, but I really think I have more to give this year,” he said. “The season prior to that I had a great year where I started 28 matches and we ended up winning the championship. As a player to go from that to fighting for a spot again is difficult… it was a great experience and I’m grateful for it, but I definitely feel I can give way more.

“It tested my mentality to the limit. One year you’re on top of the world – winning something every team wants – and then the following year it’s not even fighting to win again, you’re fighting just to be on the pitch. That can be very humbling.

“I had great competition at my position and that pushed me, and I learned so much from that competition and the coaching staff, as well. It was also a year where I played new positions – every position in the back three/four – and so I look at it now as a big year of growth for me.

“Now I feel like I’m ready for any challenge.”