 |
| Courtney with brother, Bright Dike |
Courtney Dike is an American-born Nigerian female soccer player who plays for Major League Soccer side Toronto FC of . She made history when she scored the fastest goal ever in the history of FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, after 18 seconds against Korea on June 10, 2014.
The player, whose parents are natives of Nigeria, is also a cousin to Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike and a sister to super Eagles striker Bright Dike who currently plays for Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.
Courtney Dike success in football was not an easy ride as explained by her first coach Lisa Miley who had the task of convincing Dike’s parents to let her play.
Lisa Miley was coaching the girl’s soccer team at Edmond North, at the same time Kimberly the oldest of the Dike kids was starring. Kimberly was the oldest, followed by Brittney and Courtney.
 |
| COURTNEY DIKE |
Kimberly played in the Edmond Soccer Club with Miley's daughter, but it was short lived. Kimberly was better at basketball than soccer.
In 2006 when Miley was appointed coach of Edmond Soccer Club, she promised to raise a good team. She quickly kept that promise by going in search of the Dike’s (Brittney and Courtney) after handing out unsuccessful trials to other girls. Brittney was in sixth grade, and Courtney was in fifth grade, exactly the ages she needed.
 |
| Brother and sister |
Parental Obstacle
The girls wanted to play, but their parents wanted nothing of that sort. Part of the reason was finance. Courtney’s parents, Jacinta and Vincent Dike came to the United States from Nigeria with nothing. No money, No job. No promise of success.
Both of them worked three or four jobs to make ends meet, so the idea of spending thousands of dollars on competitive soccer was tough to stomach. They had previously done it for Bright and Kimberly. But with Bright graduated and Kimberly out of soccer, Jacinta and Vincent weren't ready to spend any more dollar for anything related to football.
 |
| Lisa Miley, who played an important role in Courtney’s career |
Also part of their resistance was cultural too."In their society (Nigeria), "soccer is not a girls' sport." When Jacinta and Vincent were growing up in Nigeria, they were taught that girls and women played basketball, badminton, tennis and other sports not soccer.
Miley had long conversations with Courtney’s parents, trying to convince them
Finally, Jacinta said, "Would you be happy if your daughter came home and told you that she was going to play for the Edmond North football team?” Probably not," Miley admitted.
"That's what it sounds like to me when you say, 'you want my daughter to play soccer.'"
Her parents were adamant, but it didn't stop Miley from convincing the Dike’s to allow the girls play football. She knew that they had soccer in their genes. She knew, too that they wanted to play.
 |
| Courtney Dike and team mate |
"This is the third team," she told Jacinta and Vincent. "This is the team C. I promise you, we are not going to Dallas, neither are we going to Kansas City so your daughter’s aren't going far from you .Please, let us have the girls. She said”
Finally, the Dikes accepted. Miley broke the news to Brittney and Courtney who were overwhelmed with joy and laughter.
Miley counts that as one of the times in her life that she saw pure joy. It was the kind that parents see in their children on Christmas morning. But for Miley and the Dike girls, that was only the beginning.
 |
| Courtney Dike |
It was quickly clear that they were better than the average girls, especially Courtney. She was quicker and stronger, and while she wasn't refined, she was dominant. Her abilities made for a team with an interesting mix of players. Miley called them the Bad News Bears.
She said "We had people that should probably never have been on a competitive team," she said, "and we had Courtney Dike."It was truly a team C to be reckoned with.
 |
| Courtney Dike |
Courtney quickly moved up to better teams. She would star for Edmond Soccer Club, Oklahoma Football Club and Edmond North, all of which led to Oklahoma State and the Nigerian national team. But without Lisa Miley, who knows if Courtney Dike would've played competitive soccer much less reached the sport's pinnacle.
 |
| Courtney Dike and team mates |
 |
| Courtney Dike in action |
 |
| Courtney Dike and team mates |
 |
| Courtney Dike and team mate |
Miley is happy to have played a part, not because of the player that Courtney has become but because of the kind of person she has always been.
"Courtney was always so impressive," Miley said. "Whether Courtney was playing for the Bad News Bears or the Nigerian team, she's the same.
