Starr’s Mill alum Dylan Patterson has earned a spot on the Philippines national soccer team where she will honor her heritage as well as the entire country.

“I still don’t know how I made the team, I really don’t. There were a lot of good girls,” Patterson said. “The first couple of days were tough, and there was lot of competition, a lot of good girls. I, in the third day of training, really established myself.”

Patterson started training with the team in California during her sophomore year at Winthrop University. A camp contacted all those with Filipino descent to join them over their Thanksgiving break to train and eventually try out for the national team.

“[I knew this was meant to happen] when I found out I made the team and got to call my grandpa, and just to tell him I made the team,” Patterson said. “It’s just really exciting and special. I’m one of his 16 grandchildren so it’s cool to have something just between us.”

In joining this team, Patterson strengthened her relationship with her grandfather who immigrated to the United States from the Philippines. Her grandfather helped her fill out the paperwork proving her descent and encouraged her the whole way through.

“I can’t sit here and say I did this and I did that,” Starr’s Mill head girls’ soccer coach John Bowen said. “I just happened to be there when she came through and worked with her a little bit…What you learn is that the coach will help you here and there, but the player is what makes the difference inside.”

Patterson will train with the team starting this spring as well as play with her college team in preparation to play in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.