EDMONTON, Alta. - The NAIT Ooks men's soccer team is proud to announce the additions of four ACAC experienced players, Mazin Choufi, Rory Burke, Chris Gakona, and Abraham Dukuly, for next season.  

 

 

Mazin joins NAIT via the Concordia University of Edmonton. He played for Xtreme FC as well as being a member of the ASA 2015 Provincial team, and is currently playing in the Premier division with White Eagles Serbia. Mazin is enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering Technology program here at NAIT.

 

"Mazin possesses breakaway speed that causes problems for the opposition's backline. When given half a yard of space, he becomes tough to catch. He can take on players and deliver quality balls into dangerous areas. He is an intelligent player who moves the ball quickly and can create goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates as well as himself. He has a great engine and never stops working. He demands the best from himself and betters the performance of those around him," said NAIT head coach Charles O'Toole.

 

Rory originates from Manchester, England. Since arriving in Canada, Rory has played for Drillers, Xtreme FC, Team Alberta, FC Edmonton's Academy team, and is currently playing in the AMSL with Victoria. He also spent some time with the Concordia Thunder in the ACAC.

"Rory is a solid defender with the ability to play anywhere along the backline. His versatility, tenacity, competitiveness, and no-nonsense style of play will make our backline tough to break down. He has great soccer awareness to his game and is a player who can settle a game down. He looks to play and is not afraid to jump up into the attack. His experience playing with the FC Edmonton Academy team and playing in the AMSL will bring a valuable asset to the NAIT men's soccer team," said O'Toole

"We look forward to working with Rory both academically and athletically to further his success both on the field and in his chosen career."

Chris Gakona 

Born in DRC Congo, Chris comes to us by way of Cape Town, South Africa, where he lived from 2011-2015 and played with the Ajax Cape Town Academy. In 2015 he moved to Edmonton and played with Drillers and then joined the FC Edmonton Academy in 2017. Chris returns to the NAIT men's soccer team after taking the year off to pursue other options. In his rookie year, he was named to the ACAC All-Star team and won an ACAC Conference Championship.

 

"Chris is a game-breaker. His ability to move the ball, combined with his creativity and ability to score from different areas on the field, create numerous options that we will look to utilize. He is a two-way player providing defensive stability and an offensive threat. He is an intelligent player who sees the game at a different level. He has always played at a high level which, along that experience and his maturity will be a valuable asset to the team. We are excited to have Chris as part of our team and look forward to helping him achieve his goals on the field, his career, and to playing a part in being part of making him a successful and contributing member of our community," said O'Toole.

 

 

Abraham played for Xtreme FC and then moved on to play with the FC Edmonton Academy and became part of the first team in 2017 when it was still part of the North American Soccer League (NASL). He was part of Alberta's Canada Summer Games Team, where he was also named to the All-Star team. At the tournament, he was described by many coaches as the most impactful player.  When the NASL folded, he returned to school and attended NAIT. In his first year, he was named Rookie of the Year and was an ACAC All-Star.

 

"Abraham is a game-changer. His ability to run at defenses take players 1v1, his attitude to compete, his mobility and his awareness all make him a hard player to contain and play against. He provides versatility in that he has many different dimensions to his game. Combine that with his ability to play in several positions in the midfield and upfront makes him a dangerous player for opponents to defend. We at NAIT are excited to part of this and are looking forward to seeing how successful this young man will become," said O'Toole.