Realizing his goal

WASILLA — Jimmy Sliwa is one of the busiest student-athletes Wasilla High School has to offer.

In the fall, Sliwa starts his school year on the cross country running trails. He moves inside to hit the hardwood during the winter as a member of the Wasilla boys’ basketball squad. And in the spring, Sliwa is back outside competing with the boys’ soccer team.

“I definitely like the fast pace,” Sliwa said last week. “I don’t like having a lot of down time.”

Even though Sliwa is just about two months away from the end of his high school career, the Wasilla senior has ensured that he will continue to stay busy in the future.

Sliwa has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer at the University of Great Falls (Mont.) in the fall.

Sliwa garnered attention from college programs in both cross country and soccer, and realistically could have pursued either sport at the college level. Since both sports share a fall season, he had to chose one and ultimately, Sliwa went with his heart.

“I’ve always wanted to play college soccer,” he said.

Sliwa did say he considered tackling more than one sport at the college level.

“I did, but I only considered doubling up,” Sliwa said. “I always wanted to play soccer first, and then if I could, maybe run track.”

Sliwa said he has talked to his new coach at Great Falls about potentially running on not only the soccer field but also the track.

“He said he prefers I stay focused on just soccer,” Sliwa said.

Which is fine for Sliwa right now. And even when he is competing in another sport, there’s always time for soccer. During the recent high school basketball season, Sliwa would spend at least to nights per week at the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex playing indoor soccer.

Active in the sport since he was 5 years old, soccer is now a 12-month activity for Sliwa. His time with the Wasilla varsity squad only represents a fraction of his time on the field during the year.

Sliwa has also played for the Mat-Valley, Chugiak and Cook Inlet Soccer Clubs, and participated in the local Olympic Development Program.

Although he has played virtually everywhere on the field, outside of the goalie box, Sliwa said he prefers to play in the midfield at the college level.

“He’s really versatile,” Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said. “It’s pretty rare to be that versatile.”

Sliwa collected four goals and a school-record 10 assists last year as a Wasilla midfielder, and will most likely move up top to a striker position this season, Livingston said noting Sliwa’s importance to the Warriors team.

“He’s a special player,” Livingston said. “He’s been instrumental in our program’s success the last few years.”

Sliwa said Great Falls was among a handful of schools to recruit him, and there were a few definite factors that separated the northern Montana school from the other programs that had pursed him.

First, the Argo men’s soccer team is a young program — UGF competed in its inaugural season last year — and Sliwa is excited to be a part of the building process. Also, Sliwa said, he was impressed with the coaching staff.

“He was the most enthusiastic coach,” Sliwa said, referring to UGF head coach Tim Brooks.

Sliwa is now among several Wasilla soccer players to get the chance to play at the next level.

Among the others are Jordan Ingalls (Shoreline Community College), John Pahkala (Peninsula College), Victor Fonov (Northwest University) and Jeff Champion (Southwest Oregon Community College).

“I think it’s a testament to our program when players are able to take the opportunity to go to the next level,” Livingston said. “And having players do well, it’s opened doors.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.