Dai Takegami Podziewski (born 31 August 2001) a footballer. Born in Japan, he represents the Northern Mariana Islands national team.

Dai Podziewski
Personal information
Full name Dai Takegami Podziewski
Date of birth (2001-08-31) 31 August 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth Tondabayashi, Osaka, Japan
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
2016–2017 Paire
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Suffolk University 35 (1)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Paire
2017 Teen Ayuyu
2018–2019 MP United
International career
2018 Northern Mariana Islands U17 1 (0)
2019 Northern Mariana Islands U20 3 (0)
2018 Northern Mariana Islands 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:57, 22 July 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:57, 22 July 2023 (UTC)

Early life edit

Born in Tondabayashi in the Osaka Prefecture of Japan, Podziewski moved to the Northern Mariana Islands as a child. While on the islands, he also played baseball, and co-founded a futsal club in 2017.[1] He was valedictorian of the Marianas High School's class of 2019.[2] He is of Polish and Japanese descent.[3]

Club career edit

Podziewski featured for Paire's under-17 side in 2016,[4] and also played futsal for Astig FC at the 2016 Saipan Soccer School Christmas Youth Futsal Tournament.[5] The following year, he began the season with Paire, before moving to Teen Ayuyu.[6][7] He would later move to MP United, where he went on to serve as vice-captain as MP United won the NMIFA Men’s League Title in 2019.[1]

Collegiate soccer edit

In May 2019, it was announced that Podziewski, alongside Northern Mariana Islands national team teammate Sunjoon Tenorio, would move to the United States to enroll at Suffolk University in Boston.[8] He made his NCAA Division III debut for the university's soccer team, the Suffolk Rams, on his birthday, 31 August 2019, in a 1–1 draw with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.[9]

Following eleven appearances in his first season, the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Boston.[1] Following the return of organised soccer in the 2021 season, Podziewski scored his first goal for the Rams in a 4–0 win against the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.[10] The following year, he was named as co-captain of the side, along with Trevor Murdock.[11] The same year, he was named to the CSC DIII Academic All-District Team.[12]

International career edit

Podziewski represented the Northern Mariana Islands' under-17 team at the 2018 edition of the Marianas Cup, as the Northern Mariana Islands lost 5–3 in a penalty shoot-out to Guam.[13] In July 2019, he attended an under-18 training camp in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan, playing against students from the St. Catherine University.[14] He later featured three times for the Northern Mariana Islands at under-19 level, in qualification for the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship.[15]

Called up to the Northern Mariana Islands senior squad in 2018 for the first preliminary round of the 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, Podziewski made his international debut against Guam. Having also featured in the nation's next game against Mongolia, Podziewski said that the experience "really boosted [his] confidence which helped [him] transition to college knowing what's ahead".[16]

Career statistics edit

International edit

As of matches played 10 January 2019.[17]
National team Year Apps Goals
Northern Mariana Islands 2018 2 0
Total 2 0

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Dai Podziewski". gosuffolkrams.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Podziewski leads MHS' Class of 2019". saipantribune.com. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  3. ^ S.A, Telewizja Polska (26 April 2021). "Od potomka "Witkacego" po Dybalę. Egzotycznymi śladami Polaków". sport.tvp.pl.
  4. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (20 April 2016). "MPU clinch co-ed U12, boys U17 titles". saipantribune.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  5. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (3 January 2017). "Newcastle FC wins in shootout". saipantribune.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  6. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (17 March 2017). "MP United leads in two divisions". saipantribune.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  7. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (17 April 2017). "Teen Ayuyus stand out; U15 drops debut". saipantribune.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  8. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (6 May 2019). "Tenorio, Podziewski NCAA-bound". saipantribune.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  9. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (5 May 2020). "Podziewski battle-tested". saipantribune.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Men's Soccer Drops Season Opener at Suffolk". mmabucs.com. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Podziewski, Murdock to Co-Captain Men's Soccer in 2022". bvmsports.com. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Men's soccer CSC Academic All-America/All-District". cccathletics.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Guam Secures Boys Title at 2018 Marianas Cup Tourney". guamfa.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  14. ^ "U-18/U-23 Northern Mariana Islands National Team holds training camp in Matsuyama, Ehime". jfa.jp. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  15. ^ Dai Podziewski at Global Sports Archive
  16. ^ "'You can't stop at being the best on Saipan'". mvariety.com. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  17. ^ Dai Podziewski at National-Football-Teams.com

External links edit