Parker Salomon
Staff Writer
After joining the United States women’s under 18 national soccer team earlier this year, Senior Viviana Villacorta steps up her game and becomes apart of both the U-19 and U-20 teams.
The U-20 team is comprised of the top women’s soccer players across the country. The team travels across the globe to compete against other women’s national teams from various different countries.
“It’s an amazing experience to keep on continuing my career in soccer especially when I am playing for such a prestigious team,” Villacorta said. “As I move up age groups, the competition gets harder and harder so it adds a lot of pressure.”
Link: Viviana commits to University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
After Villacorta was recommended to be on the U-18 team by her club coach Mauricio Ingrassia, she went one to a soccer camp in Florida where she joined the U-19 team. Ingrassia said the reason she moved up to the U-19 team was because of her strong and impressive performance at the camp.
“Villacorta has always been a very strong performing soccer player and I believe she will continue to move up the ranks,” Ingrassia said.
Photos: Villacorta trains in preparation for her trip to Spain
At the camp in Florida Villacorta started every day with fitness testing which consisted of 20 yard sprints, vertical jump tests and a yurt test which assesses each player’s endurance. After this the players would have two practices a day where they would learn new drill and perfect their soccer skills.
“The fitness testing was extremely difficult at this camp but it is essential to determine which players are fit enough to perform at such a high level,” Villacorta said. “At every tournament and camp I go to I learn so many new skills and I always leave feeling like a better player”
On Feb. 26 Villacorta plans to head to Spain where she will play soccer for the Women’s U-20 team. The team will compete against other European countries including Spain and Germany. This will be her the first major tournament that she we be competing in with the U-20 team.
“I am very excited to head to Spain and play for the U-20 team and I think it will be a great opportunity,” Villacorta said.
Link: Villacorta in 2016 Womens International Cup
On top of playing for the women’s national team, Villacorta has also committed to play soccer for the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She originally committed to the University of San Diego, but due to a change in coaches she was able to transfer to UCLA. Villacorta says that she is very excited for all the opportunities she will have once she begins to play soccer at UCLA.
“I am very glad to be attending UCLA next year and i think it will lead me to many great opportunities,” Villacorta said. “It will be a challenge to be a student athlete but I am always up for the challenge.”
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