Vanessa Kovar's soccer talents taking her to Brazil

 Vanessa Kovar hasn’t thought much about the palm trees or the white sand beaches of Rio de Janeiro. She’s certain they are quite beautiful.

Only her first trip to Brazil has little to do with lounging on the shoreline of one of South America’s most popular tourist destinations. She is far more fascinated with discovering the plush green soccer fields at the renowned Zico Training Center.

Kovar has practically grown up playing soccer the Brazilian way and the Forest Park High School sophomore is eager to explore the fast-paced, quick-touch style that she has so often emulated as a member of the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program’s Region I Team.

“I’ve never been to Brazil. They play some of the best soccer in the world,” said Kovar, who will play four games against international competition during a week-long tour that begins on Feb. 20.

“Maybe they will help me get up to their level,” she said. “It should be really fun.”

Kovar is already considered one of the elite 16-year-old soccer players in the United States. She’s won a Premier League South Division championship with the VSA Heat, participated in the U15 girls’ national training camp and was among 90 players from across the country chosen to play in November’s ODP Interregional Tournament. 

Now she has become an international ambassador – one of two players from Virginia chosen for the ODP Brazilian Tour.

“I wasn’t expecting any of this,” said Kovar, who is the No. 3 ranked sophomore on Top Drawer Soccer’s Mid-Atlantic Watch List. “I just want to see how they play, get to know their culture and see how I can impact the game over there and see if I can be one of the top players,” she said. “That’s what I’m aiming for.

“I’m really grateful. It’s so amazing. I know a lot of people would love to say they are going to Brazil. That’s amazing to say. I’m going to a different country to play soccer. I’m so excited.”

Kovar has journeyed overseas to play soccer before – visiting Costa Rica in 2008 and Spain in 2009 as part of a Virginia all-star travel team – but this is the closest she’s come to fulfilling her ultimate goal of playing internationally for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team.

“My club team is very fast-paced, but playing for the Region I team just takes it to another level,” Kovar said. “When I play with them I play so fast. It’s like no one ever takes more than two touches on the ball. We all have a connection.”

Kovar is capable of adjusting to just about any pace. She led the Forest Park varsity team in assists as a freshman midfielder last spring and helped the Bruins qualify for the Group AAA state tournament.

She is a playmaker for her club team as well, starting primarily at center midfield for the VSA Heat.

“I love the center mid position. I’m good at other ones but when I’m there I’m just so comfortable and that’s where I like to be,” Kovar said. “Scoring goals is great, but I like setting them up too. It’s fun to think, ‘I made that happen.’ It’s a really good feeling.”

In Brazil, Kovar will once again be in a position to make things happen, though it will likely be at center forward.

And that is fine with her.

She will happily play wherever Region I coach Eric Teepe thinks she can help the team. All that matters to Kovar is that she’s on the field – discovering what it truly means to play soccer the Brazilian way and taking another significant step toward achieving her lifelong goal.

“I definitely see my future more in soccer now,” Kovar said. “I really want to be on the national team one day. There’s a World Cup with the 17s coming up and if I got rostered for that it would be amazing.

“Once you get to the national level the girls are so much bigger. If you don’t hold your own you’re going to get pushed over so you have to be strong and you have to be in really good shape. So this is a great opportunity for me,” she said. “It’s like I can be one of the best players in the nation maybe if I keep working hard. A little more extra work and I can be right up there with them.”

Staff writer Dave Utnik can be reached at 703-530-3914