What you need to know?
* Taina Anglade is the first women's soccer player from GSU to be invited to train with a national team.
* The freshman will participate in two-a-day practices as Haiti begins training before starting qualification for the next World Cup.
* “It is a great honor to be able to represent the country of Haiti and it is a huge moment of pride for my family,” the defender said.
ATLANTA – After playing every minute of every match as a true freshman, Georgia State women's soccer player Taina Anglade has been invited to train with the Haitian national team Jan. 16-18 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Although Anglade is a native of Milton, Ga., both of her parents were born in Haiti before immigrating to the United States in their early 20s. Therefore, Taina is a Haitian-American and holds a Haitian passport which makes her eligible to compete for the national team.
“The opportunity surprised me because I had never really thought about playing soccer beyond Georgia State,” Anglade said. “My Dad got in touch with the Haitian national coach to let them know that I play soccer and then the coach called coach [Derek Leader] which made me realize that they were serious about inviting me to play.”
Shek Borkowski is the Haitian national team coach and has known GSU women's soccer coach Derek Leader for more than 20 years. Borkowski is also the manager of FC Indiana of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), a semi-professional league featuring 67 teams in 11 divisions.
Many of the Haitian national team players compete in the WPSL, most for Borkowski at FC Indiana. On weekends, Borkowski invites Haitian-American student-athletes from across the country to join the national team for training as they prepare to begin qualification for the 2019 Women's World Cup.
Anglade is one of three new players who have been invited to train with the team this weekend. She will participate in two-a-day training sessions with the national team members as she gets her first taste of international soccer.
“It is unbelievable,” Anglade said. “I never imagined having the opportunity to potentially play in the World Cup and when he told us that is what we are training for it was definitely surreal. I can't even imagine what it would be like.”
Haiti will begin playing exhibition games in March against some colleges and smaller countries before beginning its qualification campaign.
