Meg Diaz: First place or nothing

To kick off 2014, The LaSallian brings to you five athletes that you may have heard about over the duration of the year gone by for their accomplishments in their respective sports. Despite their impressive body of work though, these five Lasallians have barely scratched the surface, and they are poised to have a breakout campaign during the year 2014. If you haven’t heard of these athletes, it’s time to take note because they just might become the next big Lasallian superstar.

Placing second in the UAAP Season 75 Women’s football tournament for the second year in a row seemed to be more of a loss rather than an achievement for the DLSU Lady Booters. Now, in UAAP Season 76, second year player Meg Diaz sees improving on last year’s finish as a challenge as she starts the new season with her eyes clinched on the trophy. Though the Lady Booters have started the season on a rough note, Diaz and the Lady Booters continue to strive for their ultimate goal.

Early kick-ins

Her first time to kick a football happened way back when she was five years old when her family was still residing at Okinawa, Japan. With football coming in second to baseball as the most popular sport in Japan, and with her sister inspiring her to play, Diaz quickly fell in love with the sport she excels at today. “My sister was playing football too, then I got interested because of her,” says Diaz.

Diaz postponed football for a while when her family decided to come back to the Philippines, as she enrolled in San Beda and they did not have a team for her age at that moment. She turned to her sister during those times, and occasionally played with their team. However, when she reached high school, she quickly made the varsity team and played for four years with San Beda, excelling on the field and continuously improving.

Lion turned Archer

Diaz shifted colors from red to green upon entering the collegiate level and she has never regretted it. As a member of the Lady Booters, her steady contributions were vital in last season’s push to the UAAP finals. Diaz shares that the team’s improved work ethic will greatly determine the results for this season as every player is important for the team’s success. “I will give my full focus and dedication to the team,” says a determined Diaz.

Though the team’s goal is to win the championship in their division, Diaz acknowledges that they are all working together for something greater as well, the UAAP General Championship (GC). The farther they go in the tournament, the bigger their contribution to the GC and they would like nothing better than to help secure another one for DLSU.

The mentality of putting one’s team first is rare for a player of Diaz’s age, but she has already exhibited these traits. With her in tow, the future definitely seems bright for the Lady Booters.