Former University of Victoria Vikes standout Jaclyn Sawicki was rejected by sa国际传媒 but is taking advantage of her maternal ancestry, and her talent, to play for the Philippines in the 2023 women’s soccer World Cup.
Sawicki, who played for the Vikes from 2010 to 2015, started in the midfield in the 2-0 opening loss to Switzerland in Dunedin and is preparing for Tuesday’s game against World Cup co-host New Zealand in Wellington.
“I felt like a proud mom watching the game on TV,” said UVic head coach Tracy David.
“Jaclyn has worked so hard to achieve this. She was one of the most professional-attitude players I have coached in terms of how she approached the game and took care of her body. She had a brilliant career in our program. She was a starter from Day 1 at UVic and never missed a game, or a minute played, over five seasons for the Vikes.”
Sawicki had only one losing season at UVic with the highlight being the semifinal appearance and bronze medal at the national championship in 2012.
Her international career didn’t go as planned after representing sa国际传媒 in the 2012 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Japan and scoring two goals in six U-20 appearances for sa国际传媒. Sawicki dreamed of following in the cleat steps of her UVic coach and Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame member David on to the senior national team. But that call came only once as Sawicki earned her lone cap for sa国际传媒 in a friendly against the U.S.
“Her goal was to play for sa国际传媒 at the senior national team level and was waiting for more call-ups but didn’t get the opportunity,” said David, going into her 23rd year of coaching the Vikes. “But Jaclyn never wavered in her dream of playing in the World Cup and she got there.”
Deservedly so for the 30-year-old former Victoria Highlander, who has 22 caps for the Philippines. Being of Polish ancestry on her dad’s side provided another option she looked into.
“Jaclyn has very quick feet, dribbles well, has tremendous vision and really goes at players,” said David. “She was box to box and covered a lot of ground in that first game against Switzerland.”
UVic assistant coach Dave Dew helped guide the Coquitlam native at Centennial Stadium and also with Gorge FC in the Island women’s league. “Jaclyn showed great perseverance after being turned down by sa国际传媒,” said Dew.
“That hard work and perseverance paid off and she is in the World Cup. She has an incredible work rate and ran miles against Switzerland.”
Sawicki ran miles inside Ring Road, too, before becoming a World Cup player and captain of her current club Western United of the A-League in Australia.
