BAHIR DAR — Every great football story begins on local grounds, driven by passion, mentorship, and unyielding ambition. For Dawit Kasaw Yirdaw, his journey from a promising youth trainee at our Bahir Dar University Sport Academy to a national hero stands as a beacon of inspiration for every aspiring athlete in Ethiopia.

Player Profile & Career Milestones

1. The Early Spark: Coaching & Foundations at Bahir Dar

Dawit’s football development started six years ago right here on our pitches under the guidance of Coach Daniel Getnet Admit. Training within our academy framework, Dawit developed his physical conditioning, tactical awareness, and clinical finish. Standing 1.81 m tall and remarkably fluent with both feet, his discipline and natural attacking instinct quickly elevated him among his peers. Coach Daniel and our technical staff recognized early on that Dawit possessed the mindset of an elite athlete.

2. The Academy Leap: 3 Point Academy & Elite Scouting

As Dawit’s dominance in youth tournaments grew, his performances attracted attention nationwide. His talent led to a transfer to the prestigious 3 Point Academy in Addis Ababa, where he refined his multi-positional attacking skills against national youth competition. This critical stepping stone prepared him for top-tier competitive football and placed him directly on the radar of national team selectors.

3. International Stardom: CECAFA Top Scorer & AFCON Qualification

Dawit’s breakthrough on the international stage came during the CAF U-17 AFCON CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers held at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa. Delivering a historic individual performance, Dawit scored in almost every match, tallying 8 goals across the tournament to earn the Golden Boot / Joint Top Scorer Award alongside Tanzania's Luqman Mbalasalu.

Highlights of his CECAFA masterclass included:

• Hat-trick Heroics: Scoring a dramatic hat-trick in a 4-1 victory against South Sudan.

• Crucial Strikes: Scoring twice against Kenya and twice against Somalia in key group fixtures.

• AFCON Ticket: Scoring the decisive opening goal in the 3-0 play-off victory against Kenya, directly securing Ethiopia’s qualification for the AFCON U-17 Tournament in Morocco.

4. Premier League Service & Senior National Duty

Following his international displays, Dawit signed his first professional contract with Sheger City FC (Sheger Ketema) in the Ethiopian Premier League. While Dawit held a strong personal desire to represent his hometown club, Bahir Dar City FC, professional commitments led him to Sheger City, where he made his top-flight debut at just 15 years old and rapidly scored his first senior league goals.

His rapid evolution earned him a call-up to the Senior Ethiopia National Team (Walias), as well as maintaining dual duty as a key starter for the Ethiopia U-20 Squad.

"Dawit Kasaw’s rise proves that world-class talent can grow from our local pitches. He remains a proud ambassador for Bahir Dar and a role model for every youth footballer in Ethiopia."

5. A Role Model for Ethiopian Youth

Today, Dawit is more than a professional forward; he is a beacon for young kids across Bahir Dar and Ethiopia. His journey demonstrates that with grassroots discipline under local coaches like Daniel Getnet Admit, young players can reach the grandest stages of African football.

The entire community at Bahir Dar University Sport Academy stands proud of Dawit Kasaw as he continues to shine for club and country!