Jaclyn Sawicki is a key protagonist in one of the great stories emerging ahead of the Women’s World Cup. But on Sunday she captains Western United into the Liberty A-League Grand Final, writes Matt Comito for KEEPUP.
It was the post-match embrace between two Liberty A-League rivals and international teammates that caused Western United midfielder Jaclyn Sawicki’s phone to blow up.
Western’s inaugural captain had just helped the club reach the A-League Women Grand Final in its very first season, after a 1-0 Semi Final win over Sydney FC in mid-April. Waiting eagerly by the touchline was Sarina Bolden: Western Sydney Wanderers star, and like Sawicki, a Philippines international.
Their heartwarming interaction was caught on video, and went viral on social media; it tells the story of two great friends, who together will play a key part in the Philippines’ 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign – the country’s very first appearance at either the women’s or men’s edition of the showpiece global tournament.
“I was so surprised when I opened my phone, and I was tagged in the same video over and over again.” recalls Sawicki to KEEPUP. “I was like: ‘What video, when did this happen?’ Then I remembered.
“Sarina is a bit of a comedian – or thinks she is!”
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The footage shows Bolden asking her Filipinas teammate to sign her homemade poster adorned with Sawicki’s club picture. Bolden describes herself as “such a fan” of the Western captain, before asking for a hug which Sawicki warmly obliges to – before jokingly squirting water on Bolden’s poster.
“It was actually really awesome for her (to be there),” Sawicki adds. “We had a couple of other girls from the national team there as well, to have their support right after Olympic qualifiers (in early April).
“She knows I’ve been going through a hard time, so having another familiar face for me, and just that hug meant everything to me at the end of the game.
“I’m glad we’ve got it documented.”
Sawicki and Bolden are two members of a Philippines international squad well and truly on the rise, led by former Matildas boss and A-Leagues coaching legend Alen Stajcic.
The South-East Asian country is emerging as one of the stories to follow ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Bolden was the player who secured the nation’s spot at the major tournament in January of 2022, with the winning penalty in a quarter-final win over Chinese Taipei at the Women’s Asian Cup.
Stajcic has since targeted players like Sawicki to join the nation’s World Cup crusade. Sawicki is Canadian born, with a Filipina mother and Polish father. A well-established Canada under-20 representative, Sawicki went unsighted at international level for more than a decade, knocking back an initial offer to represent the Philippines in 2017 before eventually making her debut under Stajcic against Tonga on April 30, 2022.
On the one-year anniversary of her Philippines debut, Sawicki will take to CommBank Stadium in Western United’s A-League Women Grand Final clash with Sydney FC.

Eight months ago, Sawicki was without a club heading toward a World Cup year. In an interview with Futbol Brew, she revealed her hopes for the coming season were: to find a club where she could grow as a player, to prepare for the World Cup, to be a part of another football family – and win a Championship.
Three of those four boxes are ticked heading into Sunday’s A-League Women title decider.
“Preparation-wise, I think (Western) has been the perfect place for me,” Sawicki tells KEEPUP. “Not just on the pitch, but because Western United as a club have welcomed me with open arms. They work tirelessly to make sure all of us are taken care of.
“I spent the first half of the season injured,” she adds. Sawicki signed for the expansion A-League Women club carrying a knee injury caused by over-use.
“I had to take a step back. I knew I had such a big year ahead of me, not just the World Cup, there’s the South East Asian Games, Olympic qualifiers and all of the major competitions. I wanted to slow it down, and just focus on getting back on the pitch first in our inaugural season. Once I got back it was building up minutes, and then it was trying to perform and getting back to where I know I can be.
“The girls on the team have really become my second family. Everyone wants to be on a team that is winning and successful, no doubt about it, we’re all competitors and want to win. But, for me there’s life outside of football. Even though that’s my priority, and is on my mind all the time, I do want to do it with people I care about, and people that I love.
“Having that comfort in life outside of football is only going to make you play better once you’re on the pitch as well.”
Sawicki’s role at the club is unique in the sense that, after being named club captain in the off-season, her cautious return to full fitness coupled with multiple absences on international duty has meant a “quiet” leader who prefers to use actions rather than words has had to rely on other experienced heads to help lead the team through a remarkable season.
She hasn’t been short on options in that regard.
Goalkeeper Hillary Beall is the club’s vice-captain and has worn the armband in Sawicki’s absence. United States World Cup winner Jessica McDonald was immense for the club through her brief contract early in the campaign. Matildas midfielder Chloe Logarzo, American defender Sydney Cummings and Matilda turned potential Philippines World Cup bolter Angie Beard have helped share the leadership load.
Sawicki missed the start of April on international duty, and returned to figure on Western’s bench for the Semi Final win over Sydney. Whether she plays from the start or as a substitute in Sunday’s Grand Final, Sawicki has bought in to one of the club’s key philosophies: your actions can impact your team’s fortunes at any time, whether you’re on the pitch or not.
“The club understands that if you’re going to be signing players coming off injury too quickly, or haven’t done enough recovery, how are they going to help the team’s overall success?” Sawicki ponders. “Although I’m captain, it doesn’t have to be me starting the game. Maybe I come on for the last 15 minutes like I did in the Semi Final. It can go both ways.
“We’ve got plenty of players who can do the job, and I like to think we can all trust each other.
“I know I trust every girl on our team; I think the club understands that and is prepared for situations like that.”
Sunday’s Grand Final will conclude the 2022-23 season for a vast majority of the players involved, but for Sawicki, the journey is only just beginning. Three days after the decider, Sawicki will be back amongst the Philippines squad for the South-East Asian Games in Cambodia.
Then, attention turns to the World Cup in July, and continuing the upward trajectory of this brilliant Philippines side simply full or surprises.
“It’s a great group of girls,” she says. “There’s a bunch of us in Australia now, a couple of us in the A-League and some of our younger players starting off in the NPL to get around a different environment, and have that first experience playing overseas and out of their comfort zone.
I think we know we’ve already achieved such an amazing milestone – not just qualifying for the World Cup, but a first medal at South East Asian Games, thefirst time getting to the second round of Olympic qualifiers, and the highest FIFA ranking we’ve ever accomplished (currently world #49).
“I think we know we really need everyone’s support if we’re going to get out of the group stage at the World Cup. That’s no easy feat, especially for our small little country. Especially given it’s our maiden World Cup. We need as much support within the group, and external support as we can get.
“Even though this is the Grand Final and the end of Western’s inaugural season, I’m not quite done yet. I still have a couple of months to push a little bit, which is not easy to do at the end of a season.
“Luckily I’m going to still have support in my off-season… I’ve got to stay focussed. I can’t take my foot off the pedal right now.”
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