UNBC Timberwolves midfielder Kensho Ando has no idea how tall he is in feet and inches and he never uses pounds to divulge his weight.
From the top of his head to the soles of his feet, his body metrics extend 165 centimetres. And on the scale of gravity, he tips the Toledos at 60 kilograms. In imperial terms, he's a five foot-five, 132-pound dynamo.
He's also the T-wolves' Ferrari. A light touch of the gas pedal and he's moving at drag-race speed, in any direction. The 21-year-old from Tokyo has been in Prince George for just a couple of months and already he's one of the most popular players among his teammates. The excitement and skill he brings to the field has also touched the hearts off T-wolves fans. They can't get enough of him.
Ando's waterbug mobility on the turf means his opponents don't have much time to move the ball and when they do, they have to be extra careful with their passes because he's so quick and chances are he knows where the play is heading. That makes him one of the most dangerous T-wolves on the field.
"He's unbelievable, he's quick, he's tenacious, he's technically very good and people are starting to really see his quality," said T-wolves head coach Steve Simonson. "He's actually out of position, he's usually more of an attacking player but he's filled in a role (at midfield) for us that we really need.
"On top of that, he's just a wonderful guy. He's a favourite of our team, they love him, and he's just a great addition to our school. He's everything we thought he would be and we're just happy to have him."
Simonson latched on to Ando during the offseason in Victoria, where he was playing as a forward for the Victoria Highlanders FC.
"I played in Japanese university for two years but I wanted the opportunity to play here," said Ando. "An agent introduced me to Highlanders FC and then the agent introduced me to Steve, too, and I decided to come here."
Hard aggressive tackling is the norm in U Sports Canada West Conference and that sometimes results in violent collisions that send bodies flying. That's not the style of play Ando learned in his home country.
"It's so different, in Japan it's touch play, touch play, every game, but here the most important thing is the contact skills and I had to learn about that," he said. "It's definitely more physical and I'm pretty small. Fortunately, I played for Highlanders FC and I learned about it. I'm comfortable here. They trust me and I trust them."
The T-wolves put together a confidence-building weekend performance with a one-goal loss and a tie against the UBC Thunderbirds, the fifth-ranked team in Canada. UNBC is still hovering close to a playoff spot with just four games left in the season, including a two-game series this weekend at Trinity Western.
"I'm pretty excited about this team and the guys," Ando said. "The level of football is so high and it's getting higher."
Ando is enrolled in the psychology program at UNBC and he struggles sometimes with his English skills, which adds to the challenge of adjusting to his new life as a Canadian student-athlete.
"It's hard for me but (his classroom instructors and tutors) help me all the time," he said. "I'm happy here. I like it because the Canadian people are so friendly and they are so nice to me. So I'm never confused. There are a few Japanese exchange students. Yesterday I had a Japanese meal that my friends cooked for me."
Now in his third season of college eligibility, Ando is hoping to eventually land a position playing pro soccer in the Canadian Premier League, but he figures he will be a T-wolf for at least three seasons. Unless a harsh winter changes his mind.
"I hate the cold," he said.
"I haven't been through winter yet and I'm concerned about the cold. I never experienced minus degrees. In Tokyo, it's zero to five (degrees) in winter. Tokyo is a big city and there are many people and many shops. When I first came to Canada, to be honest, I didn't like (the open spaces) but I'm getting used to it. This is so different."
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