Amber De Silvia can be considered a very unique athlete.
The senior women’s national footballer has been playing competitive football for a mere four years , but has been in the national programme for the last two years and been one of the most outstanding players in the domestic women’s Premier League since her introduction in 2017.
During her early years at the Hill Top Preparatory School and The St Winifred’s School, De Silvia participated in tennis, track and field and netball.
De Silvia said she’s always been fond of football, watching it on television as a child with her brothers and kicking around with their friends.
As the scrimmages increased, De Silvia started to fall further in love with the sport as it was a source of physical and emotional gratification, as she strongly professed not to be a huge fan of the gym.
According the self-proclaimed football addict, she became obsessed with the sport and subsequently became better the more frequently she played.
Mark Owens, father of her current team mate Zara, recognized that De Silvia possessed a quality level of skill and directed her to the Kickstart Genesis football club, where she has been one of their key players since arriving.
The creative midfielder said her decision to join the club has been one of the best decisions she has made in her life.
“I wish I joined the league sooner. I just love the people I play with and the comradery. It’s just so good to be playing with girls after playing with boys for so long”, De Silvia said.
De Silvia’s late entry and quick rise to national representation is not her only feat.
There is one much greater than that.
The Football aficionado is 34 weeks pregnant and still playing.
“When I first found out I was pregnant, I said I was going to stop immediately.
In the first trimester it was hard. I was dealing with a lot of morning sickness and nausea and then I wasn’t playing a lot, after I was used to playing all the time.
Obviously we had a break because of COVID but as soon as we came out of COVID, I was back playing about two to three times a week.”
De Silvia described football as her happy place and not playing for that period took a mental toll on her.
She said her return to play was very timely as it coincided with the start of Elite Academy, a football institution established by her friend and national beach soccer player Daniel Rowe, which offers one-on-one sessions.
De Silvia said she grabbed at the opportunity to continue being active in a safe and skill-specific environment.
As time draws near to delivery, De Silvia said she does not intend to swap roles but intends to embrace being a player and a mom and she looks forward to getting back on the pitch.
“I plan to return to the sport after I have this child. I don’t plan to have kids and that’s it.
I would really like to continue doing what I love while being a mother. I don’t think you should have to pick and choose, you should be able to do both.”
The first-time mom-to-be said her pregnancy has been a comfortable one and she credits her physical activity for it. She said she feels energetic, flexible and agile with just weeks ahead.
All positive signs, especially for husband Scott, a footballer as well, who expressed his concerns but also recognized that football is a feature of their love.
De Silvia said she has done her research and learnt that physical activity is good for the pregnancy and she has received that assurance from her physician Dr. Vikash Chatrani that she may continue as long as she is practicing safely.
“The doctor is still surprised that I am going and I am still able to train, because your body is going through all of these adjustments and I’m starting to feel it a little bit more along the groin area, where you’re carrying this extra weight, but he says if you’re able to do it, continue, once you’re being safe.
As much as her heart is set on embracing motherhood, Amber said she is anticipating returning to club and national duties, and thanks to her support system she believes she will make that return, sooner than expected.
“Obviously when the baby is born, the baby will come first and I’ll have to find ways around that, but I have such a great support groups between my husband, my mother and my mother-in-law.
They know that it’s important to me, so I know they’ll be there that I can lean on for help”, said De Silvia.
At 31 years-old and a first-time mom, De Silvia is aware it will be difficult to get back into the national squad but she believes she possesses the right mental skills to surpass any obstacles and earn her spot back on the roster.
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