By John Philip
Wyllie
With its opportunity to qualify for the 2003 Women’s
World Cup looming just two months away, Mexico’s
women’s national team is picking up the pace. Mexico
has been training in San Diego recently preparing for its
home and away series against an as of yet undetermined
Asian opponent. South Korea, a team that Mexico defeated
a few months ago, appears to be El Tricolores most likely
challenger. The winner of that series (to be played May
10 in Mexico City and May 16 somewhere in Asia) will
advance to the Women’s World Cup next fall in China.
While training in San Diego, Coach Leonardo Cuellar took
advantage of the opportunity to provide his players with
some high level competition. Mexico scrimmaged the U.S.
U-21 team twice while the latter was in residence at
Chula Vista’s Arco Olympic Training Center. Among
those with the team hoping to represent Mexico in China
are Bonita Vista High School stars, Lina Valderrama and
Erica Rodriguez. La Prensa spoke with them following the
first of their two scheduled scrimmages.
Former Bonita Vista High stars Erica
Rodriguez (Left) and Lina Valderrama pose for a post-game
photo. Photo by J.P. Wyllie
“They are a very strong team, but I think we did
very well,” Valderrama said following last
week’s 3-0 defeat to the U.S. U-21s.
“(Unfortunately), we always make (critical) mistakes
that cost us goals. That is what kills us most of the
time.” Developing players tend to be prone to
mistakes. With an eye toward the future, Cuellar bypassed
many of his veteran players and selected a very young
team for this camp. He was generally pleased with what he
saw, especially in the case of Valderrama and Rodriguez.
“Both of them are coming along very well. Lina has
been playing with us longer and I strongly believe that
she is going to be one of our main players in the near
future,” Cuellar predicted. “We need to make
sure that she gets into a good college where she can get
some more playing experience. The best women’s
soccer in the world is played in the United States, so we
need to make sure that she continues playing here.”
Cuellar was equally pleased with the progress of
Rodriguez.
“Erica is a nice new addition. We are excited about
her and we are seeing a lot of good things in her,”
Cuellar said. “Being younger, she will be eligible
for our team that is headed to the Pan Am Games and she
will make that team stronger. I have been using her on
the right side (of the midfield), but I know she can also
play as a forward. She will get a chance to play as a
frontrunner in the near future. We have great
expectations for her.”
Being more established, Valderrama has the best shot of
landing a starting berth for the qualification playoff
series and for the Women’s World Cup itself should
Mexico qualify. She has played regularly as Mexico’s
right flank midfielder in recent months and gained
approximately 80 minutes of playing time last week
against the U.S. U-21s. Rodriguez received about 40
minutes, but believes she has a good chance of making the
final cut.
“We have a very young team. I think there are only
four players here that went to the last Women’s
World Cup,” Valderrama said. Two other participants
in that history- making tournament were on the sidelines,
but not in uniform. Chula Vista’s Linnea Quiñones,
is currently recovering from a broken fibula. Andrea
Rodebaugh who recently gave birth to her first child, was
also on hand. If she can recover in time, goalkeeper
Quiñones would like to return to defend the Mexican net.
Rodebaugh, who is currently coaching for Mexico, is
undecided about whether she would like to resume her
career as a player.
Should Mexico qualify, Valderrama and Rodriguez will have
the opportunity to experience their first Women’s
World Cup. For two young ladies just a couple of years
removed from high school, that prospect is incredibly
exciting.
“It’s kind of crazy to be just out of high
school doing all these things and traveling all over the
world. It is flying by very quickly,” Rodriguez
said.
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