Ascent Soccer’s graduate Latu Kayira honoured for his outstanding athleticism in the United States

* The son to Malawi’s football legend Peterkins Kayira has been named 3rd XI of All-American representing Massachusetts’ Brooks School

* Individuals receiving this annual distinction honour are typically added to an All-America team for their sport

* Some sports have multiple All-America teams, and list the honorees as members of a 1st XI, 2nd XI or 3rd XI

By Duncan Mlanjira

Ascent Soccer’s graduate Latu Kayira has impressed at Massachusetts’ Brooks School in the US in 2025 before moving off to the prestigious Duke University as his outstanding athleticism in the United States has been recognised by being named in the 1st XI of the prestigious All-American team.

This has been confirmed by Ascent Soccer, Malawi’s most successful football academy where Latu — son to Malawi’s football legend Peterkins Kayira — earned an academic scholarship to study at Brooks School.

According to the awardee selectors’ website, the All-America designation is an annual honour bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sports.

Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-America team for their sport in which some sports have multiple All-America teams, and list the honorees as members of a first team, second team, or third team.

All-America teams are composed of outstanding US amateur athletes and individuals falling short of qualifying for the honor may receive All-America honorable mention.

The designation is typically used at the collegiate level, although, beginning in 1957, high school athletes in American football began being honoured with All-American status — which then carried over to other sports like basketball and cross-country running.

The selection criteria vary by sport. Athletes at the high school and college level placed on All-America teams are referred to as All-Americans.

“Since prep schools operate outside traditional state high school associations, their level of competition is often overlooked by broader high school honors,” says the website. “Yet these prep programs remain among the most competitive and talent-rich settings in the country.

“This All-America team features standout performers from the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council, Prep Premier League, Mid-Atlantic Prep League, and other independent residential programs spanning the Northeast, south to Pennsylvania, and west into Ohio.”

Next year, Latu is set to join Duke University, one of the USA’s premier academic and athletic institutions while pursuing a world-class education at the top-10 ranked university.

When announcing the news last November, Ascent Soccer’s co-founder George Maguire described the move as highlighting the transformative power of the global pathways Ascent paves for its deserving student-athletes.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Latu and everything he’s accomplished. His commitment to Duke University represents years of hard work — both on the pitch and in the classroom.

“Latu has shown that with the right support, young players from Malawi can compete and excel at the highest levels globally. Latu is earning everything he deserves and let’s be clear, this is also a team effort.”

Soccer runs deep in the Kayira family as Latu’s father, Peterkins Kayira, represented Malawi’s national team from the 1980s till early 1990s, earning caps in World Cup qualifiers and African Cup of Nations matches.

Peterkins was part of the Malawi squad that won the 1988 East and Central Africa Senior Challenge Cup — demonstrating the same competitive spirit that Latu now brings to the pitch.

Ascent Soccer highlights that since arriving at Brooks, “Latu made an immediate impact on one of New England’s most competitive prep soccer programs in the Independent School League (ISL), and his progression on the pitch has been remarkable”.

“From four assists as a freshman to seven goals and four assists as a sophomore — to an explosive 11 goals and nine assists as a junior, in 18 games — Latu is adding to the Brooks rich soccer tradition, which won the 2017 ISL Championship and national title with an undefeated season, and produced USA national team star Charlie Davies.”

Duke University consistently ranks in the top-10 among US universities, with the Athletic Coast Conference (ACC) being recognised as having the highest academically ranked collection of member institutions among all major athletic conferences.

Its men’s soccer program consistently competes at the highest level, with a legacy that included the 1986 NCAA National Championship and multiple ACC Championships.