November 30, 2024
By Fred Liggett
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The Kansas City Comets, coming off from an Eastern Conference championship season, are back at work in training camp to prepare for what they hope will be a Ron Newman Cup Championship season. The preparation for the upcoming 2024-25 season began three weeks ago at the KC Soccer Dome with a number of familiar faces and a few new ones.
Head coach Stefan Stokic returns for a second season after a successful start to his coaching career. Stokic took the team to the Ron Newman Cup finals in his first season at the helm and now fans can expect just a few little things may change for the team in year two. Stokic admits “not much” will change and adds “just change a few little things.”
Having so many players back from the 2023-24 season Stokic says is “a huge difference, having a core group of players back.” No worries, the Comets did add some new players during the off-season. One of them is Marcel Barry who comes to KC from St. Louis. Stokic calls Berry “a very fast player.” Stokic believes Berry needs to “work on his execution.” Also back is defender Guerrero Pino. Stokic says of Pino “bringing a veteran to us, his leadership.” Another newcomer is forward Junior Kazeem who missed last year. Stokic remarks “his work ethic is unbelievable.”
Schedule concerns are always a part of the MASL especially for those wanting a long playoff run. Stokic says he likes to “play top teams, makes us better in the playoffs.” Last season the Comets played four games in a nine day period. This season the Comets will play eight games in March with six of them played on the road. Stokic is concerned saying the travel will “be taxing just before the playoffs.”
The fun of the 2024-25 season begins over Thanksgiving weekend when the Comets open at St. Louis on November 29. Then the Comets home opener is set for Sunday, Dec. 1 when they host the Ambush inside Cable Dahmer Arena. Game time is at 5:05 p.m., the team’s normal start time on Sundays, with Saturday nights’ games begining at 6:05 p.m. The Comets are healthy and looking to start a season they hope will end with them raising the Ron Newman Cup on their home field.
