‘I love soccer.’ Lakewood Ranch athlete set to compete in international event
Without an opportunity for in-person tryouts, Lakewood Ranch High School’s Sky Commissar sent videos of her soccer skills for Team Great Britain to evaluate.
A phone call from across the pond followed.
“They told me that I made the team, and I was just like, ‘Wow, this is an amazing opportunity,’” Commissar said.
That opportunity is playing in the Costa Blanca Cup, a youth soccer tournament featuring clubs from more than 20 countries, in Spain this summer.
Commissar will compete with Team Great Britain’s Under-17 girls soccer team. She recently arrived in the United Kingdom to meet her teammates and train ahead of the tournament, which is held July 5-11 in Benidorm, a city on Spain’s eastern coast.
“It’s a little higher age group than I play now. It’s also a good developmental team to play with because I’m learning what it will be like when I get higher in age and how I can progress to become as good as them,” said Commissar, a rising sophomore who will compete with and against players one or two years older.
As a freshman, Commissar made the varsity soccer team at Lakewood Ranch. During her club season for Southwest Florida Premier FC, Commissar scored four goals and dished out nine assists.
She plays right wing and right back, and was part of a defensive unit that had several clean sheets.
“I use my pace more over physicality, and I have good footwork and technical skill,” Commissar said.
Born to play
Soccer wasn’t the first sport Commissar participated in. When she was younger, she did gymnastics and dance. Commissar said she wasn’t into soccer at all.
However, her parents, who are from England, and the rest of her family are passionate about the beautiful game.
So when she was 6 years old, Commissar said she asked her father, Rob, if she could try soccer out.
“I played on this league team … and after that, I was like, ‘Wow, I love soccer,’” Commissar said.
Commissar’s soccer fandom stretches to her favorite English Premier Club, Arsenal. The Gunners won the league title this season for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
“It was unexpected for sure,” she said.
Watching with a purpose
Most soccer fans watch matches for fun. But for Commisar, there’s a lot more to it. When she puts on an Arsenal match, she’s looking to see what she can pick up from the professionals.
Right winger Bukayo Saka, midfielder Declan Rice and center back William Saliba are some of Commissar’s favorite Arsenal players. All three are playing in the FIFA World Cup held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Saliba, in particular, is someone Commissar eyes on match days during the season.
“This season I’ve been playing right back a lot,” she said. “... Even as watching a center back, it’s still watching how I could cover and how having center backs on my team help me. One thing I’ve learned from Saliba is slide tackling … learning from it and learning how to perfect it.”
Preparing for an international tournament
Commissar’s cousin, Ruby Icklow, is a goalkeeper who has gone through the tournament experience in the past. Commissar said she’s gotten some tips on what to expect.
“The biggest tip she gave me, considering we’re not the same position … but she just said to continue to stay committed to what I want,” Commissar said. “Like, if I want to do this tournament, don’t just be like, ‘Oh, I got this tournament, now I’m gonna wait until the tournament to start prepping for or practicing.’ She just said to start early to be able to achieve my goals.”
Those goals are to continue improving and playing in high-level competitions.
“The more I’m able to put myself into different competitions, it’s just representing my skill in a higher level than I am at right now,” Commissar said. “... Just to see what potential I have in the future.”
