STATESBORO, Ga. — Tormenta FC Academy alum and 2022 USL W League champion Sydney Martinez has received her third national team call-up to the Puerto Rico National Football Team for the upcoming 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games to be held in San Salvador, El Salvador, from June 25 through July 7.
“I’m excited and honored for the opportunity to play, and I am looking forward to battling with the Puerto Rican Women’s Team in the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games. Tormenta FC has shaped my journey and propelled me to where I am today. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to represent South Georgia. Vamos Tormenta!”
Sydney Martinez, Tormenta FC Academy Alum
Tormenta FC’s first-ever W League captain joins Puerto Rico for the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, where Puerto Rico’s participation will begin on June 29 when they take on the Mexican National Team. Puerto Rico will then face El Salvador on July 1. The Puerto Rican squad will play its last group stage fixture against Jamaica on July 3. The best two teams in each group will automatically qualify for the semifinals to be held on July 5 with the final being played on July 7.
“What a tremendous honor for Sydney, her family, and Tormenta FC. She is an excellent goalkeeper, a great teammate, and an even better person. Her work rate, desire, and commitment to her craft has all led to this accomplishment. She is absolutely deserving of this opportunity. She was the top goalkeeper in the USL W League in 2022. In addition to being the team captain of our USL W League championship-winning team, she earned the Golden Glove award and USL W League Final MVP. It has been our pleasure to work with her here at Tormenta FC. We wish her all the best.”
Jim Robbins, Tormenta FC USL W League Head Coach
Martinez made her Puerto Rico National Team debut in a friendly against Liga MX Femenil side Xolos Femenil on April 12, 2023.
With Tormenta FC, Martinez made history as she became Tormenta FC’s first Golden Glove winner across all teams within the club. Martinez also served as the team captain for the 2022 W League season.
In the 2022 USL W League Final, Martinez became the hero after saving a penalty kick in the 110th minute of extra time. Martinez would end up being named the USL W League Final MVP.
Martinez currently features for IK Grand Bodø of the 1. Divisjon, the second tier of women’s soccer in Norway.
Just like Martinez, many more TFC Academy talents will rise through the ranks and follow in her footsteps. The foundation is set for Tormenta FC to continue providing opportunities to young talent around South Georgia and the Low Country of South Carolina.
In June of 2021, Tormenta FC was named a founding member of the USL W League, an elite pre-professional pathway for women looking to build their careers on and off the pitch. Tormenta FC won its first-ever USL W League title in 2022 after defeating the Minnesota Aurora in front of 6,500 fans in Eagan, Minnesota.
Tormenta FC provides opportunities to local and national players to develop and start their professional careers in Statesboro, Georgia. In just one year, Tormenta FC’s USL W League team has produced six professional players with Sydney Martinez joining Jenae Packard, Emily Burke, Kelly Giddes, Abigail Wolf and Jodi Medina as the latest player to sign a contract in Europe.
Visit https://sansalvador2023.com/en/ for additional information on the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games.
