Hollister soccer player details her experience for the El Salvador U-17 women’s team

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION-TV)- Women soccer players in the region are called up to participate in their country's national teams, local coaches say. But at what cost are young athletes on the Central Coast achieving it?

Elyssa Hernandez, a student at Hollister High School, says she sees her future as a professional soccer player. Now his efforts and sacrifice bear fruit by participating in the U-17 El Salvador National Team.

Through her dual citizenship, Elyssa was able to travel abroad, and fulfill her dream of starting a career as a professional soccer player when she was called up to participate in the CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship

Charlene Hernandez is Elyssa's mother and says this is her daughter's first time traveling to play professionally, but the adjustment process was rewarding for the entire family.

"His journey in football is not over, we don't know what he is capable of achieving at this point, because his potential is infinite," Charlene continued.

Elyssa says that to achieve her goals, she sought to play on teams far from her home, leading her to travel to the Bay Area, with Santa Clara Sporting.

In her effort to rise to the professional level, Elyssa appeared in the U-17 scouting for the El Salvador national team in December, where she caught the attention of the technical director, Eric Acuña.

"Being able to be in that professional environment, where everyone wants to be there and fight for the ball at all times, not only in games, but also in training," Elyssa said.

Elyssa says that training in El Salvador was intense, and expectations were high, playing with more professional athletes. In addition to being an experience that surpasses the training he has carried out on the Central Coast

Anthony Velasquez is a private coach in Seaside, every Sunday young people from all over the region gather at the CSUMB training camp in the hope that local athletes have the same opportunities as the soccer players in the bay.

"What we want to do is give our local players the opportunity to build a community so they don't have to travel," Velásquez continued. "They can come here, and there are other girls who are also working and trying hard to play college football and be professionals."

Now Elyssa says she faces a new challenge, learning to communicate fluently in Spanish with her teammates in El Salvador.

After her third match in the championship, Elyssa returned home after a 2-2 draw against Haiti. She played in the CCS championship with Hollister High School, where the Balers advanced to the post-season.