Growing up Japanese American in Southern California, Saki Watanabe had plenty of role models who showed her she could be whatever she wanted to be. There were baseball players, judges, politicians and actors. Writers, artists, teachers and business leaders.
But there was nobody doing what she wanted to do, which was play soccer.
“I did wish there were other players like me,” said Watanabe, a former college player who now works for Angel City’s community team and coaches with the Los Angeles Bulls soccer club. “I didn’t have a player that I looked up to.”
Or, more to the point, one that looked like her.