Idaho athlete takes unusual path and makes World Cup roster

EastIdahoNews.com Reporter Dylan Carder spoke with local athlete Marie Sanchez in the clip above

AMERICAN FALLS — Idaho State University soccer player Maria Sanchez took an unusual route to get to the World Cup.

Her path to soccer’s biggest stage is as inspiring as it is unlikely. Most World Cup player spend their youth in traveling soccer leagues or clubs before earning a spot on a national or international team. Those opportunities were not available to Sanchez, but she didn’t let that stop her.

“It motivated me to get better and to show them that I didn’t need that,” she said. “That I love the game enough to be at their level on my own.”

Instead of a club team, Sanchez had her big brother, Samuel. “I would always play with him, so he would play with his friends and he’s six years older than me. For me to be able to play with them I had to be on their level.”

Eventually, she played high school soccer at American Falls High School. As a 3A school, that is about as small as it gets in Idaho. From there she beat the odds to make it as a Division 1 college player at ISU.

Now she’s done it again. Sanchez is heading to the Women’s World Cup as a member of the Mexican national team.

“It seems like a dream,” she said. “The more I try to think about it — I can’t get the idea of what is actually happening right now.”

She nearly missed her opportunity in February. Team Mexico was holding tryouts in Los Angeles, but she didn’t feel it was the right time.

“I didn’t know if I was ready for it yet,” Sanchez said. “I just wanted to keep working with ISU because I had been learning and improving a lot.”

It was ISU head soccer coach Allison Gibson that convinced her to go. Sanchez, an American, was eligible because her parents are Mexican.

“She said I could really do it,” she said. “If I could get myself there it would be totally okay to leave what we were working on at ISU.”

Gibson was thrilled at Sanchez’s opportunity.

“In 20 plus years of coaching, I can’t remember being happier for a player than I am for Maria,” Gibson said in a news release “Her hard work and dedication for the sport are now being recognized on an international level.”

Now Sanchez is on her way to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

“Knowing that I’m one of the best in Mexico now since I’ve been called to play in the World Cup. I don’t know. I still don’t believe it,” she said.

Sanchez hopes her experience gives hope to others who come from similar circumstances. “They can make their dreams possible through smaller things,” she said. They don’t have to have big resources. As long as they want it and love it. They can accomplish it.”

The American Falls native said she hopes to represent not just Mexico, but American Falls and those who watched her play high school soccer.

“They knew how much I wanted it and they knew how much I worked for it, so they’re just really proud of me,” she said. “That’s a big accomplishment to know I am making everybody here happy.”

Mexico World Cup Schedule

• Tuesday, June 9 Mexico vs Colombia 2p.m. (Televised on FOX)
• Saturday, June 13 Mexico vs England 2p.m. (Televised on FOX)
• Wednesday, June 17 Mexico vs France 2p.m. (Televised on FOX)