The Dallas Jackals signed Kareem Odeh for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 22-year-old tighthead prop is 6’0″ and 245 lbs.
Kareem is from Ramallah, Palestine, and moved with his family to Brunswick, Ohio when he was five. He attended Brunswick High School and graduated in 2016. He played football, wrestling, track, baseball, basketball, and began playing rugby during his sophomore year. According to the Dallas Jackals, he said that he ” felt more a part of a team than any other sport I played.”
His Junior year in high school, he was selected for the Ohio Celtic Elite team, which played in the South RCT. He attended the Eagle Impact Academy in the Cleveland area, as well as Tiger Rugby camps. This facilitated his development and he was selected as a High School All-American and play on the U19 All-American tour to Ontario, Canada.
Kareem attended Life University from 2016-2020 and majored in Exercise Science. He helped the team advance to the D1A National Championship final in 2017 with the team winning back-to-back National Championships in 2018 and 2019. He also was honored as a Collegiate All-American.
Kareem has elected to devote his time to pursuing professional rugby and hopes at some time in the future to complete his degree.
Dallas Jackals Comments
Kareem is excited to move to Dallas and be a part of the new franchise. He says, “I was very honored that Coach Allen and Elaine are very eager for me to come and sharpen my skills at the next level.” Kareem is excited for a fresh start and to prove himself. He continued, “I am ready to get to work.” Welcome to the pack Kareem!
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