Willis Forko
Personal information
Date of birth (1983-11-12)12 November 1983
Place of birth Monrovia, Liberia
Date of death 8 November 2021(2021-11-08) (aged 37)
Place of death Houston, Texas, United States
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Left-back
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002 South Carolina Gamecocks
2003–2005 UConn Huskies
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Real Salt Lake 38 (0)
2008 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 (0)
2008–2010 Bodø/Glimt 60 (0)
2010 Vancouver Whitecaps 5 (0)
2012 Houston Rangers
International career
2008 Liberia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Willis Forko (12 November 1983 – 8 November 2021[1]) was a Liberian professional footballer who played as a left-back.

Career

Youth and college

Although born in Liberia, Forko and his family moved to Houston, Texas when he was three years old. Willis attended Cy-Springs High School in Cypress, TX where he graduated in 2002. He began his collegiate soccer career at the University of South Carolina in 2002. He played one season there before transferring to the University of Connecticut. At UConn he appeared in 65 matches, notching three goals and 15 assists, and was twice named to the Third Team All Big East.

Professional

Forko was selected in the second round, 14th overall, of the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft by Real Salt Lake. He went on to play 38 games for RSL in their first two seasons in Major League Soccer, before leaving the club at the end of the 2007 season.

Forko signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division in 2008, but a month after signing with the Whitecaps, it was announced that Forko had been transferred to the Norwegian Premier League side FK Bodø/Glimt. He went on to spend two seasons playing in the Tippeligaen, making 60 appearances for the team.

Forko returned to Vancouver in 2010 with hopes of joining the club in its move to the Major League Soccer in 2011.[2] He made his first appearance for the Whitecaps on August 29, 2010 in a 2–2 tie with the Austin Aztex.[3]

Forko died on 8 November 2021, four days before what would have been his 38th birthday.[1][4]

Personal life

Forko's older brother, Sam Forko, played in Major League Soccer for the MetroStars in 2003.

References

  1. 1 2 Memorial page
  2. ↑ "Whitecaps sign left back Forko". The Province. August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  3. ↑ "USSF Division-2 Pro League". ussf.demosphere.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  4. ↑ Tidligere Glimt-spiller er død, Nettavisen (12 November 2021)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.