ST GEORGE’S, Grenada — Kalyssa “Kiki” Van Zanten is a very happy player.

She has always been an avid football lover who aspired to make it big but she never imagined that the opportunity would come in the form of representing the senior Reggae Girlz team.

In fact, while her Jamaican-born mother Priscilla and father Kent, who is of Dutch background, recognised her talent and made the necessary investments, Van Zanten had thoughts of transitioning through the ranks in the United States programme, especially after strutting her stuff in the Under-17 team.

But as fate would have it, she is now aiming to make a name for herself in the Reggae Girlz set-up.

“I didn’t know much about the team. I actually heard about them when I was getting recruited [as] someone asked if I was interested in playing with Jamaica because he had connections with the coach at the time,” said Van Zanten, who was first introduced to the programme in October last year.

“So it’s really exciting to be here and I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to compete in these games and represent Jamaica.

“A lot of the girls on the team are in professional environments… I don’t really have the opportunity to train with professional players other than these camps so that’s a level that I’ve been introduced to, and I just want to make the most of it,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The University of Notre Dame junior admitted that, at first thought, coming into the programme which boast players with World Cup experience was a bit nerve-wracking, but she believed enough in her talent to brave rubbing shoulders with the big girls.

“I was a bit nervous but I’m a pretty aggressive and dynamic player who is also a pretty hard worker and I like to always be around the goal, always trying to create goalscoring opportunities. So, I felt like I could hold my own and so I came in and just wanted to do my best and not think about who I was up against too much,” she noted.

Van Zanten, 20, had her first taste of international action when she was introduced into the Girlz’ opening Concacaf Women’s Championship qualifying game against Bermuda which they won 4-0 at National Stadium in Kingston.

She was critical in the third goal scored by Captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, as it was her initial shot that was rebounded into the striker’s path.

“It was super exciting. I wasn’t expecting to play but when I got the opportunity I was ready to go. I was a little nervous but while warming up I told myself ‘This is what I’ve worked so hard for. I have played soccer all my life and I know what I’m doing.’ So I just tried to focus, play freely and enjoy the moment,” she said.

Jamaica played against Grenada on Sunday, which they won 6-1, but Van Zanten did not get any minutes in that affair.

But the rookie remains upbeat as she looks to get better with each day.

“I always hope to improve. That is always my number one priority — to get better every time I step on the field. I am not sure if I am going to play in college for two more years or just finish my undergraduate degree so I am really open to any possibilities.

“I just don’t know where I am going to play, whether in the US or somewhere else, but it is my primary goal to keep getting better and keep growing, and I think this whole opportunity is because of my parents’ investments. They really set me up for success and I now feel like I am on the road to achieve that,” Van Zanten ended.