Soccer

Interview Review: TRU Wolfpack at Hillside Stadium

On March 12th, I caught up with five members of the TRU Wolfpack men’s soccer team: Vlas Iouriev, Dante Seckham, Taffel McCootie, Lewis Crompton and Liam Freathy during their morning training at Hillside Stadium. The goal was to get a feel for where the team is at emotionally and physically as they prepare for the upcoming year.

When I asked them about the “vibe” of the team, the main takeaway was a sense of genuine camaraderie. The guys described it simply as a “good feeling” being apart of the squad. During the interview the players make statement that Coach John Antulov has built a culture where players actually enjoy being around each other, which showed in how they interacted on the pitch.

We also got into the “real talk” about their performance. The players were very honest, admitting that they didn’t achieve the specific goals they had set for themselves last season. However, they aren’t dwelling on that. Instead, they’ve spent the last six months in a heavy training cycle, showing up every single morning to fix those mistakes. Because the roster is staying almost exactly the same with no players graduating, they feel like they have a massive head start on chemistry.

Looking ahead to the August preseason, there’s a lot of optimism. With the addition of new talent like James Rainbird and Aiden Muzio, the group has high aspirations. They aren’t just looking to play; they’re looking to “do better” and prove they belong at the top of the standings. Overall, the interview showed a team that is hungry, focused, and more united than ever.

A Long Way from Home: Ben Finley’s New Chapter in Kamloops

Moving across the world is a massive leap for anyone, but doing it at 21 years old to chase a dream is something else entirely. For Ben, the English football

(soccer) prospect from Preston, England decided that Canada, British Columbia, was the new destination for him. Since joining the Kamloops TRU Wolfpack

Men’s Soccer Team in 2024, he sates that he finds his stay here quite comfortable.

Talks With Ben:

During an on call interview with Ben Finley; the way how you would expect a former elite academy player with high pedigree to be during an interview was the

total opposite. He majors in journalism and that is exactly the way he portrays himself; as a we instead of me. When I asked him questions about the team

culture and how it influences his performance, he explains that the culture is good and that although he is young being 22 years old as of 2026, he is the

5th oldest player out of 30 and that draws him into a leadership feeling role and it encourages him to maintain the professionalism both on and off the pitch. He

also states that he makes sure that the condition and chemistry of the team stays positive and whenever there are disagreements, he’s the mediator of the team

who crushes the conflicts, ” The main thing is just to lead by example and show performances on the pitch and make sure I’m acting professional at all times”.

Ben is no stranger to pressure, as he has history of performing with high pedigree clubs that plays against the best football teams in the world. He stated before

and during the interview that he played against the likes of Cole Palmer, (Current Chelsea’s Midfield Senior Men Football Player) and other now top professional

players worldwide when he was in the academy era so he states the challenge to perform and execute what is expected from him for the TRU Wolfpack team is

nothing new ” To be honest I’ve played in high pressure games all my life”. He says the crowd and the supporters drive him and boost his courage during

games and having the experience of playing for teams with larger gatherings makes the tempo and feeling on the pitch easier for him to adapt to.

Ben’s Hopeful Expectations:

During his “prime” days with Preston FC and the other top clubs that he played for in England 2023, he sadly suffered from a triple tear in his knee place (ACL

injury) which took him to the sidelines for two full seasons. He had to undergo surgery and as a result, had to make a decision whether to stay and fight back for

his place in the starting squad or venture out and get back on track and that is what brought him to the lovely British Columbia Kamloops. When talking to Ben,

he does not sound regretful making the move to this new team, and he believes coming to the TRU Wolfpack team will prove to himself that he is still who he

knows he was. He states he always had high standards for himself and getting back to the standard was difficult after coming from the injury but he believes he

will get back and perform at that high level which in my opinion is already showing.