Hilltopper selected for Filipino National Team

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Collado plays defensive midfield for the Women’s team.

A St. Edward’s University women’s soccer player was recently selected to try out for the Filipino national soccer team.

“I felt that it was going to be silly to pass this opportunity up,” senior Olivia Collado said. “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I knew that if I did not try out, I would regret it in the future.”

Collado, a central defensive midfielder, has been playing soccer for 14 years. Her parents first enrolled her in soccer because it was convenient since her brother also played.

However, this decision would later land her with the opportunity to play for St. Edward’s and to try out for a national soccer team.

Collado was first contacted by the Filipino team in December. The team got all of her information from Nick Cowell, the women’s head soccer coach.

“You make a pool and they pick upon availability for different tournaments,” Collado said. The roster numbers fifty women, which will eventually be cut to a group of twenty-five players by April 20.

The Philippines Football Federation’s training squad will soon start training for the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup, where they will play teams from across Asia.

Collado’s parents then urged her to try out.

“My parents were one-hundred percent supportive. They were the ones that talked me into trying it,” Collado said. “They were also proud that I was even offered this opportunity.”

She tried out for the Filipino team in Los Angeles, Calif., over Easter break. If she does get called back to play, she would be going to stay in the Philippines for about a month in May.

If she does play in May, Collado said that she will probably only play for the summer because she plans to go to pharmacy school.

“I would not pass up an opportunity to play because it is such an honor to play for my country,” Collado said.

Cowell said that it is rare for a player to get called up in college to play for their national team if they have not played for them before. Cowell is well aware that this experience means a lot to players.

“It means that the player is representing their culture and their heritage,” Cowell said. “I am sure that one must feel very proud to don the jersey of one’s nationality. It is the pinnacle of one’s sporting career.”

Usually, Cowell recruits at least some players who have previously played at the national level.

Since Cowell has been head coach for seven seasons at St. Edward’s, he has sent several players abroad after graduation. For example, Stacey Copeland, Troi Jorgensen and Kelly Boyd all went to play in Sweden.

Other players, such as Kim Abbott and Kristen Gascoyne, have played semi-professionally for the Houston Aces in Texas, Cowell said.

Cowell said that these accomplishments mean a lot for the women’s soccer program.

“It means that we are doing a great job of not only recruiting talented players but also developing them once they are here,” Cowell said.

Cowell said many female soccer players do not get the opportunity to go on to play after college because professional opportunities, both stateside and abroad, can be limited.

“It is great to see our players go on after graduation and continue to enjoy the game at the highest level,” Cowell said. “I hope that many more will continue to play.”