KAMLOOPS - Head coach John Antulov and the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's soccer program have added a major piece to their 2022 roster with the addition of the prodigious Alesandro Comita.
 
With the WolfPack playing host to 2022 U SPORTS Men's Soccer Championship, Comita – a Kamloops local who played for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-19 team last season – is set to make an immediate impact for the 'Pack.
 
"Any time you can add a player of Alesandro's talent it's exciting, he has the potential to be a game changer," said Antulov. "You don't come across those players very often and after seeing Alesandro play over the years, I really believe that he has that ability. Obviously, we don't want to put undue pressure on him as a young guy but I think we can put some older players around him to really help him develop to that point."
 
Coming up through the Kamloops Whitecaps Academy and playing for TOFC before making the jump down to Vancouver to join the Whitecaps U-17 team in Grade 10, Comita is excited to have the chance to come back home.
 
"I got the option to sign with Thompson Rivers University and I accepted because it's such a great school, there's great coaches here and I kind of missed my family so it's also good to be back with them," said Comita. "I'm just really excited to continue my career and keep progressing and getting better with TRU."
 
Excelling for Whitecaps U-19, Comita is on the cusp of a professional career after making his mark against top youth players from around the world with his offensive prowess.
 
"I love to score goals, assist goals, contribute to the team by making plays and being a very diverse and attacking-minded player,' said Comita on what he brings to the pitch. "I'm excited to play alongside some great players at TRU."
 
Often having Comita play and train alongside players two or three years older than him throughout his youth career, Antulov recognized the attacking expertise of Comita right away.
 
"He's an attacking talent. He's technically excellent, has the ability to take players on and is not afraid to go at guys," said Antulov. "He's a goal scorer so to be able to add him to our lineup gives us another fantastic attacking threat, adds to our depth all along the front line and just makes us hard to beat."
 
Leaping at the opportunity to bring Comita back to Kamloops, Antulov sees the 5-9 midfielder as a player that can come in and excel right off the hop at the U SPORTS level.
 
"He was approached by a lot of different schools and a lot of different programs, so for him to choose us is just fantastic and he's just a really important piece to what we are doing," said Antulov. "With that said he will still have to come in and battle, he's not going to be handed anything but he does have the ability to come in and be great for this whole program."
 
A large pull for Comita to join TRU was the long-standing relationship between himself and John. With Antulov leading the Kamloops Whitecaps Academy, he first began coaching Comita when the future star was first beginning his soccer journey.
 
"I've had the good fortune of working with Alesandro since he was about eight so for it to come full circle and have him come to TRU this year, especially with us hosting nationals, is exciting for me as a coach and for our program," said Antulov.
 
"He's been a role model for me, almost like a second Father, he's been everything," said Comita. "He's helped me so much throughout the years to keep me progressing and motivated. He's just been a huge, huge help in my career and I'm just so thankful for him and all the coaching staff he's had over the years."
 
Antulov won't be the only familiar face when Comita joins the WolfPack however, as his brother Domenico is also on the roster.
 
"I'm really excited to play alongside my brother, I remember back in the day we used to always train in our backyard together, always competed to see who was best so I'm just really excited and super pumped to be playing with him again," said Comita.
 
Alongside the reunion with familiar faces, the fact that Kamloops will play host the U SPORTS Championship and the opportunity to do something special for his hometown were key factors in Comita's commitment.
 
"I'm super excited to represent the fans, especially all the young kids I used to coach whenever I'd go back to Kamloops and help John coach," said Comita. "They're hosting the national championship this year and I'm just excited to see all my family and the Kamloops soccer community in the stands cheering, so it will be great to be back in home in the city."
 
Alesandro Comita
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5'9"
Hometown: Kamloops, BC
Last Team: Vancouver Whitecaps Academy