By Kyle LoJacono
Wharton girls soccer coach Denis Vukorep saw a big transformation in Leah Chisolm last season.
It wasn’t her speed, strength or technical play, but something had changed during a trip to Guyana in September 2011 — her first games with the country’s U20 Women’s National Team. She also made the U17 roster.
“When she came back from playing with the national team, she was just more professional,” Vukorep said. “She was just a far more mature player. She brought a lot more professionalism to each match. She was 16 years old playing with the U20 team she was starting, getting that great experience. She went there after her sophomore year as a raw athlete and is now a soccer player, and I think that experience gave her confidence and inspired her to keep getting better.”
Chisolm tried out and made the U20 squad, one step below the overall National Team, during the summer of 2011. She started all six games as a defender during World Cup qualifying rounds, the first three in September 2011 and the remaining contests in Cuba four months later.
Chisolm, who is now senior midfielder at Wharton, said making Guyana’s squads is one of the greatest accomplishments she has had with soccer since picking up the game at age 6. The Eckerd College commit said the stress to perform on the world stage was like nothing she’s experienced.
“It was a lot of pressure,” Chisolm said. “There were so many people watching. It was kind of uncomfortable at first, but once I started focusing on the game it was like every other game I’ve played.”
Chisolm’s mother Claire is from Guyana, and the family had visited the South American country twice before the Wharton student tried out for the U20 squad.
“It was a great experience,” said Chisolm, who added that the transition was made easier because the primary language in Guyana is English. “You learn a lot about other cultures, and you learn more about your own culture too. It was great to be a part of. … I didn’t mind not being able to shower with hot water. It sounds weird, but it was great. Getting to experience that is something I’ll always remember.”
The U20 squad won its three games in the opening round of World Cup qualifying before going 1-2 in Cuba.
Guyana didn’t advance, but Chisolm developed a passion for the international stage, and said she plans on trying out again in 2014 when the squad looks for a spot in the World Cup.
“I definitely want to do it again,” Chisolm said. “It was a great experience.”
Vukorep has seen the Wildcats (12-3-4) benefit from Chisolm’s international training.
“I think that sometimes in tougher matches she has that ability to step up because she’s played against better competition,” Vukorep said. “In the tougher matches, the girls see her elevate her game, and I think the girls follow her lead in stepping up that intensity.”
Losing Chisolm for weeks last season was difficult to overcome, but Vukorep said it was well worth it.
“The thing is it’s my job to foster the student athlete, and you have to promote an opportunity like that,” Vukorep said. “It’s the first time I’ve had a player picked for a national team, and if it happens again, I’m going to encourage them. There’s no one that’s playing the game who wouldn’t want to suit up for an international event, so you as a coach have to say it’s OK to not have that player in some big matches, and that in the long run it’s better for the player at all levels.”
Chisolm is having a breakout season offensively for Wharton, posting career-highs in goals (nine) and assists (seven). She played defense for the Wildcats as a sophomore, but was moved to midfield last year to take advantage of her speed and strength.
“When the balls at her feet she’s very slippery,” Vukorep said. “Defensively she’s a beast. She’s a defender with her club team, and because she does have confidence on the ball and can play with the ball at her feet we push her forward. Her pure athleticism and her confidence on the ball allows her to score a lot of goals.
“Off the field she’s soft spoken, gentle and very caring; on the field she’s fierce with controlled aggression,” Vukorep continued. “She really gets after it and is very competitive. I hear her talk 10 times more in a match than in the classroom. … She’s just a kid who’s very easy to root for.”
Chisolm and Wharton travel to Steinbrenner Jan. 9 before closing the regular season by hosting Tampa Bay Tech Jan. 11. Both games start at 6 p.m.
