By Jamie L. Freedman
Not many teenagers can claim to have lived in three countries, let alone won a coveted spot on their national soccer team. Paraguayan native Sofia Caceres, who boasts a resume far longer than her years, is now embarking on her latest adventure—as a freshman at GW.
Caceres, who is attending GW on a soccer scholarship, was a member of Paraguay’s women’s national soccer team in 2007 and 2008. The squad made history in Paraguay by beating Brazil in the South American Qualifying Tournament to earn a berth in the 2008 Women’s World Cup. “It was the first time ever in Paraguay that a women’s team made the World Cup, so it was huge news there,” says Caceres. “It was one of the best experiences of my life. It was such an honor to be part of the team.”
An avid soccer player since the age of six, Caceres grew up playing the sport with her dad and two brothers. “We moved to Uruguay for six years when I was little, and I was the only girl at my school to make the boy’s soccer team,” she says. After returning home to Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, for several years, the family once again packed their bags and moved to the Washington metropolitan area for a year. “My father works for the Inter-American Development Bank,” explains Caceres, who attended Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., in 2006-07, where she was a member of the soccer team.
“I absolutely loved living in D.C., which is one of the main reasons why I chose GW,” says Caceres. “It’s the perfect school for me.” She joins her brother Hugo, a sophomore at GW. “We’re really close friends, so it’s great to be here together,” she adds.
Caceres says she’s looking forward to both the academic offerings and the soccer program at GW. “I really like my teammates and coaches, and truly believe I will grow as a player here,” she says. “At the same time, I’m also looking forward to the excellent academic programs, internships and everything else that GW has to offer.”
For now, she plans to focus her studies on international affairs and social sciences. “I’m looking forward to meeting people from many different cultures and taking advantage of GW’s international programs,” she states.
Once she earns her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Caceres plans to return to Paraguay to help her home country. “I want to use everything I learn here at GW to help Paraguay grow and become a better place,” she says. “It’s a very poor country, where not many people have the opportunities I’ve had to study and travel around the world. I consider myself very blessed and want to pay back my country by being the best I can be and then bring my education and skills back home to make a significant difference.”