The UNBC Timberwolves men’s soccer team has bolstered its midfield, dipping into the international pool to sign Russian native Anton Zadonsky.
Born in Saint Petersburg, the 18-year-old Zadonsky moved to B.C. last year and trained with the Vancouver Whitecaps U-19 program where he caught the eye of UNBC head coach Steve Simonson.
The six-foot-one Zadonsky visited the UNBC campus in March and worked out with the team on the indoor turf at the Northern Sport Centre fieldhouse.
“It feels really good. I never thought I’d play university,” said Zadonsky. “Everyone here is so friendly and the level is really, really good.’
He recognized there are real differences between the North American style of play, and the game he grew up playing for Avangard in Russia.
“I have played as a central midfielder all my life,” said Zadonsky, who will enrol at UNBC in global and international studies. “I think it’s the best position for me because I like starting with the ball. I love seeing all the field and controlling the ball. The speed is really different. It is really fast football here, but in Russia, everything is so slow. It is way harder to play here, but I love it a lot.”
Simonson, the Canada West coach of the year in 2022, learned of Zadonsky last year and invited him on a visit to get a better look at him.
“We are so happy to have Anton join us for the fall,” said Simonson. “Off the field he is a shy and humble young man, yet his on-field confidence and ability is of a very high quality. His experiences in Russia and with the Whitecaps organization will be a major asset and I think he could be a big part of what we are trying to build at UNBC. Today is a good day for our program.”
