Cortez ready to make most of opportunity with NWSLs Dash | News, Sports, Jobs

Chai Cortez, a Maui High School graduate who recently wrapped up a stellar college career at the University of Oregon, has accepted an invitation from the NWSL’s Houston Dash to their training camp. Oregon Athletic Communications / Isaac Wasserman photo

Chai Cortez will make a little bit of history for Maui County when she reports to training camp with the Houston Dash on Jan. 28.

The Maui High School and University of Oregon graduate will be the first Maui Interscholastic League player to be a part of a National Women’s Soccer League team.

After not being selected in the NWSL draft on Jan. 12, Cortez got the call she had been dreaming of since she was a child on Monday.

“Just sitting around waiting for them and, you know, they just reached out to me today and it was just an opportunity that I couldn’t resist,” Cortez said on Monday. “I’m excited to get down to Houston and learn more about the coaches and the players. And I’m just thankful to the opportunity to play in front of them, hoping to make my name somewhere out there for sure.”

Cortez explained that her opportunity has not yet reached the contract stage yet.

“I just got invited to the preseason camp, so I will just be working with them for the upcoming season, hoping that within that time period I have shown them enough where I’ve done my due diligence for training,” Cortez said. “And I hope they see something that they like and then I would get offered a contract. I believe that’s how it goes. … It’s my first rodeo.”

Cortez, a left-footed defender who was a third-team all-Pac-12 selection in 2021, said she was relieved to receive the opportunity after finishing her five-year career in Eugene, Ore., for the Ducks tied for seventh in program history with 11 assists and 10th in games played with 79.

She was especially strong as a Duck on starting set pieces, off of corner kicks or free kicks.

“I’m just thankful that soccer has grown in so many ways over the states, that I have the opportunity to play another time, especially professionally,” she said. “I mean, every girl dreams to be in this position that I’m in right now. So, I can only thank everyone at home, thank God, and I’m thankful for Houston for providing me this opportunity.

“So, I’m just excited to get to work. I haven’t put together words to explain how excited and thankful I am for it because this is something that you dream of. So, the fact that it’s slowly coming together just makes me even more hungry to get to where I want to be.”

Cortez is acutely aware that the chances for women to make their mark professionally has blossomed in a big way recently — the NWSL has 12 teams and was formed in 2013.

She hopes to be the first of many from the MIL to make their mark in the league.

Cortez knows she has benefitted from several strong players from Maui County before her, none more important to her than 2006 Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year Nicole (Garbin) Toeaina, a Baldwin graduate and perhaps the greatest Duck player ever.

“I’m at a place where women’s sports is growing and I’m very thankful for that,” Cortez said. “And thankful to be the first girl from the MIL to go to the NWSL, however, there is just so many girls before me that have laid the foundation, especially on Maui. You’ve seen it, there’s so many great Maui athletes that I have looked up to and I have aspired to.

“So just being able to be in the NWSL, or to compete for a spot in the NWSL, just makes that even better because it’s like I’m not only playing for myself and my family, I’m playing for the (younger) girls and the older girls that I’ve trained with and played with to get a chance.”

Cortez said she is ready for the challenge.

Since the Ducks season finished at 4-8-7 on Nov. 4, she has been training mostly in California with a few weekend trips home.

“For me to carry that weight on my shoulders, it’s amazing, it’s a blessing for sure,” she said. “I hope I can make people from back home proud and show that me training with these talented older girls when I was younger just shows how much it carries on to me. So, I definitely wouldn’t be here without them.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

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