VICTORIA – When Jaclyn Sawicki stepped out onto the field for the Philippine National Anthem in front of 34,000 fans at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, she was overcome with emotion, so much so she could barely continue singing as she choked back tears. Looking down the line at her teammates, it was much the same, a group of athletes hoping to inspire a nation of roughly 117 million and leave a legacy that propels women's soccer forward in the country.
"That moment was perfect," said Sawicki. "When all those people were singing our national anthem along with us, I realized how much impact we had on the people of the Philippines and how much support we had across the globe. The Philippines has always been a basketball-dominated country, and maybe now our small success will be the start of giving the football community a bigger voice."
The University of Victoria alumna (2010-2015) made history this summer by representing the Philippines women's national team as one of eight debutant teams at the FIFA Women's World Cup and becoming the first of those to score a goal at the tournament, and win a game, defeating co-hosts New Zealand 1-0 in Wellington. A watershed moment capturing the hearts and imagination of the Filipino community.
However, for Sawicki, the road to the World Cup wasn't quite as perfect as that moment during the national anthem; in fact, it was somewhat unexpected.
Canadian born to a Filipina mother and Polish father, Sawicki grew up in Coquitlam, BC, as a multi-sport athlete, eventually focussing on soccer and attending UVic. During her five seasons playing for the Vikes, Sawicki never missed a match, except when she was temporarily released to represent Team Canada at Japan's 2012 FIFA U20 World Cup.
Jackie Sawicki, Vikes soccer
"Jackie never missed a single session or a game in five years. She was the most professional athlete I've ever coached at UVic. From how she prepared, to her fitness, nutrition, and recovery, she took it seriously and treated her university career like a true professional," said
Tracy David, Vikes women's soccer head coach and former Canadian national team member.
Sawicki played in several matches with Canada's under 20s but was unfortunately released before getting the opportunity to play with Canada's senior team—leaving her World Cup dreams feeling somewhat out of sight.
After graduating from UVic, Sawicki focussed on playing professionally overseas, landing contracts in Japan and Sweden. In 2017 while in Japan, she received a call from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) asking her if she would be interested in representing her maternal heritage on their women's national team.
At that time, Sawicki turned down the offer, instead concentrating on her professional career in Japan.
Fast forward to 2020, Sawicki had all but retired from professional soccer returning home to the lower mainland due to a nagging knee injury and the uncertainty of a global pandemic. That's until February 2022, when the PFF reached out again following their historic win at the AFC Women's Asian Cup, sealing their ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
"I discussed it with my partner, and it just felt right; it was an opportunity I couldn't pass it up," she said. "My fitness wasn't where it needed to be, but I had a month to prepare for the training camp [in Sydney, Australia]."
"My mother is Filipina, and growing up, she supported me through everything. She would work all day, drive me to every practice and game, and then work graveyard shifts to make sure I could pursue my dreams—she did it all with humility and showed me what it meant to be Filipina. Representing the Philippines is my way of thanking her for everything she's done for me," she continued.
Following the Sydney training camp, Sawicki made the roster for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, and later the AFF Championships (ASEAN Football Federation) in Manila, Philippines.
During one of the training camps, she was headhunted to play for Western United FC, a professional team in Australia's Liberty A-League. Sawicki became the club's second international signing and was appointed captain for their inaugural season. Another opportunity that seemingly fell perfectly into place, allowing her to continue playing at the highest level between camps leading up to the FIFA Women's World Cup (something she couldn't do in Canada).
Sawicki's lifelong dream became a reality on July 10th, when she was officially named to the 23-player Philippines World Cup roster.
Adding to her dream come true, Sawicki's mother and brother made the trip from Vancouver to New Zealand to watch her play internationally for the first time, and on the biggest stage in the world.
"That was very special and emotional for me, to share that moment with my family, and to represent my Filipino roots," she said.
While the Philippines were eliminated from group play after a tough loss to Norway, the experience changed the trajectory of Sawicki's life.
"Now that I've played in the World Cup my fire and passion for soccer is stronger than ever. I want to play as long as possible."
"Knowing that my teammates and I are such an important part of paving the way for the next generation of Filipino football players, we all want to keep playing for as long as possible. We want to make sure that this program keeps progressing and that the country continues to make the World Cup in the future."
Sawicki is back in Melbourne for another season with the Western United FC with preseason kicking off in less than a month.
While she's not certain what the future holds, her soccer career is far from over and the plan is to be back in a Philippine uniform.
