A thundering crowd jumps with excitement at the Yangon Youth Training Field in Myanmar. The clamor of the crowd suddenly ceases, and the national anthem plays, loud and proud. Junior Patricia Dull, a full-fledged member of the Philippine Women’s National Soccer Team, stands at the edge of the field and takes in the honor of representing her ancestral nation.
This summer, Dull played for the Philippines Women’s National Soccer Team, better known as the Malditas, in the 2013 ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship in Yangon, Myanmar from Sept. 9-22.
In August, Dull tried out for the under 16 team, hoping to represent her mother’s native country. Her performance impressed the coaches, and she was promoted to the national team, but it wasn’t easy from there. Dull, the youngest member of the team, had to obtain dual citizenship and attend two weeks of intensive practice in Manila to prepare her for the international competition.
Dull represented the Philippines on and off the field. On Aug. 25, the Malditas helped pack lunches to aid the estimated 140,000 evacuated by the flooding of the island of Luzon. A week later, they hosted a charity match against the Pinay Fútbol All-Stars and had clinical care available for the children of the affected.
“I was surprised by the people in the Philippines because they always make the best out of each situation,” Dull said. “Even if their houses were flooded, they would just be outside, still smiling, walking around and carrying things.”
In September, the team traveled to Myanmar to compete in the 2013 AFF Women’s Championship, which featured ten women’s national teams from East Asian nations. The Malditas started strong with a 6-0 win against Indonesia, but fell 1-4 to international soccer powerhouse, Japan. They lost to hometown favorite Myanmar, but ended with a win over Laos. Dull played important minutes against Japan and Laos, blocking a penalty kick in the 76th minute against Souchitta Phonharath of Laos. The Malditas ended third in the group and did not advance to the next stage.
“The experience was amazing,” Dull said. “Playing with all the older girls taught me a lot, not just in soccer, but also in life.”
Dull began playing soccer at age seven for AYSO, and is currently a Varsity co-captain for the school girls soccer team. However the experience of representing the Philippines adds not only to her soccer resume, but also to her appreciation of the world around her. Soccer in the States exposed her to other players who shared her interest in the sport, but soccer overseas exposed her to the effect her passion can have on others.
TCHS School Newspaper