An American teenager made world history on Monday, accomplishing an incredible feat in sports. Casey Phair, a high school student from New Jersey, became the youngest athlete ever to compete in a World Cup soccer game. Phair turned 16 less than a month ago and already has accomplished more than some athletes aspire to in a lifetime.
Phair has been training to play soccer her entire life, often missing out on what some might consider typical childhood moments. But her dedication paid off Monday when she played for South Korea against Colombia. Although her team was ultimately defeated, she walked off the field with the kind of personal win that few will ever see.
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Phair was born in South Korea.
The teen phenom came to the United States when she was a month old. Her father, Shane, is American, and her mother, Hye Young, is Korean, according to NJ.com. She lives in the town of Warren and had almost completed her freshman year at the Pingry School in Basking Ridge in June when she had the opportunity to attend a World Cup camp for the South Korean team.
She worked hard and flourished, securing a spot on the women's roster of just 23 players for the World Cup games.
"To become successful at such a young age I would say takes a lot of commitment," Phair said in an email to NJ Advance Media. "Starting from such a young age, I missed so many parties, dances, and events with my friends to train, and now it is finally paying off."
The family landed in New Jersey to help further their daughter's career.
The Phairs moved around a lot because of Shane Phair's job but wanted to find a place to raise their family that had not only a robust Korean community but also a place where their daughter could train. She found a home at the Players Development Academy, which some say is among the best soccer clubs in the country.
Mike O'Neill, executive director of girls coaching at the academy and Rutgers women's soccer head coach, said Phair reminded him of many great athletes.
"You look at your Carli Lloyds, your Tobin Heaths, your Casey Murphys, there's always an inner drive within those players. She has that. To see that growth, especially this year, has been pretty special," O'Neill said, per NJ.com.
When she made the team, her family could hardly believe it was happening.
After years of devoting her life to soccer, Phair's dreams were coming true at an incredibly young age. The whole experience has been a lot for her family to take in.
"To me, it's like, 'Wow, you're 16 and you're playing in the World Cup,'" Shane Phair said. "I don't think she thinks like that. She sees this as an opportunity. She wants to go play."
Her athletic accomplishments are huge.
Phair didn't just set the record for female athletes — she is the youngest World Cup player ever. According to NJ.com, Phair was just 16 years and 26 days old when she hit the field on Monday. The prior record for the youngest women's World Cup player was Ifeanyi Chiejine from Nigeria, who was 16 years and 34 days old when she played in a 1999 game.
For men, the record is held by Norman Whiteside, the youngest player to appear in a men's World Cup game in 1982, representing Northern Ireland at 17 years and 41 days.
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According to her coach, her age is just a number.
South Korea head coach Colin Bell told NJ.com that Phair's age is irrelevant. She is part of the team because of her drive and talent and is an integral part of the roster.
O'Neill told the news outlet ahead of Monday's game, "We talk about it all the time: Soccer has no age."
Phair celebrated her monumental 16th birthday with her teammates, primarily women in their late 20s and early 30s. They gave her a cake and sang in both Korean and English.
"Being 16, it would be expected that it would be difficult to become friends with my older teammates but that has not been the case at all," Phair shared in an email to NJ.com. "They always make sure to look after me and set a great example for me to follow. The Korean media and fans have also been very supportive. Their kind words and support encourage me to work my hardest to be the best that I can be."
South Korea may have lost Monday night's game 2-0 against Colombia, but history was made. It is undoubtedly a day that Phair and her family will never forget.
