By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
More and more Filipino athletes are slowly gaining their ground in Japan in beginning their professional stints in the sport they love.
Following athletes such as volleyball players Jaja Santiago, Marck Espejo, and Brian Bagunas and basketball star Thirdy Ravena, two more from the Philippines will be added to the prestigious list.
Football players Quinley Quezada and Sarina Bolden, who are also part of the Philippine women’s football team, will be flying to Japan and turn professional.
The two Filipinas will be playing under the Women Empowerment Football League with a total of 11 participating clubs.
Quezada will be suiting up for the JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies while Bolden is set to reinforce the Chifure AS Elfen Saitama.
“The beautiful game always opens the opportunity for everyone to play at the highest level. We thank the Japan Football Association for extending the invitation to our Filipino players to play in the WE League. We wish both Quinley and Sarina the best of luck in representing the country in the league,” said Ilonggo PFF president Mariano ‘Nonong’ Araneta.
Quezada and Bolden are two of the main guns the PH Malditas have and are already leaving a mark in the sport at the age of 24.
Quezada was a former offensive player from University of California-Riverside before helping the Malditas while Bolden is from the Loyola Marymount University, also in California.
“Playing in the Japan women league offers our women football players a chance to compete against topnotch players. Quinley and Sarina may be the first but certainly not the last Filipina players who will play in the Japan WE League. It will inspire other women football players in the country to continue developing their skills for a chance to play in the international stage,” PFF general secretary Ed Gastanes said.
