Winning an A-League Women grand final is a fine mark on anyone’s football resume.
For Western United captain Jaclyn Sawicki, beating Sydney FC on Sunday would cap off an extraordinary journey from the football wilderness to silverware and a potential Women’s World Cup debut.
The 30-year-old, capped by Canada in 2011, made her debut for the Philippines, coached by former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic, last year after coming out of retirement.
After Sawicki returned and expressed interest in playing in Australia, Stajcic connected her with United boss Mark Torcaso.
“It’s quite surreal, the fact that I’m playing at all,” Sawicki told AAP.
“I’ve taken a very unconventional journey, very grateful for it of course.
“Capped for Canada well over a decade now ago, actually spent some time in what I thought was retirement for a couple of years after my season in Sweden. So from 2019 to 2021 I didn’t touch a ball at all.
“Then another national team came calling and it felt silly to turn it down so I just went for it and got fit again and said ‘am I really gonna do this? And if I am, I’m gonna do it right.’
“So here I am today in Australia and about to play in a grand final with some amazing people and an amazing club.”
Contact from the Philippine Football Federation came out of the blue.
“I had honestly received just a DM (direct) from someone from the federation asking if I wanted to come to the next camp,” Sawicki said.
“I didn’t say yes right away because I knew that I wasn’t playing professionally.
“I said ‘look, I actually don’t play professionally anymore, so you might want to reach out to somebody else that’s fit to play at an international level’ – because I do know what that level is like.
“They just said ‘if you’re willing, just come in and see how it is.’ At the time I was living with my partner and I said ‘should I do this, this is kind of crazy?’
“He was like ‘why wouldn’t you do it? Just go and see how it is.’
“From there I just stuck with the team and stayed with it and eventually got this contract with Western United.”
Sawicki will link up with her international teammates after the grand final as the months count down towards World Cup squad selection.
But first, after overcoming injuries that limited her start to the season, silverware is on the line.
“I feel humbled to just have this opportunity to be a part of these moments that every player dreams of,” she said.
