Marielle Benitez

Marielle Benitez–Javellana (born 2 October 1981) is a Filipino footballer who formerly played for the Philippine women's national football team. She plays in the midfield position. She is also a sports news anchor.

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Moya, the birth surname or paternal family name is Benitez, and the marital name is Javellana.
Marielle Benitez
Benitez with the Philippine national team in 2013
Personal information
Full name Marielle Benitez–Javellana
Birth name Marielle Moya Benitez[1]
Date of birth (1981-10-02) 2 October 1981
Place of birth Quezon City, Philippines
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Green Archers United
Youth career
c.1995–1998 PAREF Woodrose[2]
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
c.2001–2004 De La Salle University[2]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
SQS United FC
c. 2016–? Green Archers United
International career
Philippines 61 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life and education

Benitez was born on 2 October 1981 in Quezon City, Philippines.[1] She first took up various sports in her childhood such as tennis, gymnastics, martial arts, basketball, swimming, volleyball, and underwater hockey.[3] She started playing football when she was on her first year in high school.[1] She first took up the sport at PAREF Woodrose. By her third year, De La Salle coach, Hans Smit took notice of Benitez.[4] Graduating from PAREF Woodrose in 1998,[5] she decided to attend the De La Salle University. She later attained two degrees – in Psychology and Marketing Management.[4]

Football career

Collegiate

Benitez played at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for the De La Salle Lady Booters. She scored the winning kick for her squad in the final of UAAP Season 61 beating defending champion, the UST. On her junior year in college, she switched playing position from defender to midfielder and started to lead her squad.[4]

She was awarded various accolades at the inter-college sports tournament such as UAAP Athlete of the Year in 2004, UAAP Most Valuable Players trice, and UAAP Best Striker/Top Scorer twice.[1]

Club

Benitez played for SQS United FC.[1] By 2016, Benitez is playing for Green Archers United F.C. and participated in the inaugural season of the PFF Women's League.[6]

International

Benitez played for the Philippine women's national football team. She made four match appearances for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers.[7] She has made at least 54 appearances for the national team and scored at least 5 goals.[1]

Coaching

By June 2016, Benitez is already working with the Philippine U-14 girls team as an assistant coach to Joyce Landangan.[8]

Non-playing

By 2012, Benitez was already appointed as the Sports Development and Physical Education Director of the Philippine Women’s University.[4] She also works as a television host, sports analyst and football ambassador for Balls Channel.[1] She also co-presented Road To Rio, a series about the preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. She would also work for One Sports.[9]

Personal life

Benitez is as dancer for the Bayanihan Folk Arts Foundation, the national folk dance company of the Philippines.[1] She is the executive director of the group since 2022. Her mother held the same position until the matriarch's death.[10]

Benitez is married to Negros businessman and long-time friend Dave Torres Javellana since 2019. She also had former Senator Helena Benitez as her aunt.[11]

References
  1. "Marielle Moya Benitez". Pinoyfootball.com. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  2. "Marielle Benitez". Futbol Fanatics. Futbol Fanatics Football Club. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  3. Gineprini, Nicholas (30 March 2016). "L'Intervista: Marielle Benitez sullo sviluppo del calcio femminile nelle Filippine" [Interview: Marielle Benitez on the development of women's football in the Philippines]. Tuttocalcio Estero.it (in Italian and English). Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  4. "Marielle Benitez and her golden goal in life". The LaSallian. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  5. Roque, Nat; Pinga, Gabbee; Lorenzo, Daniella. "Celebrating Linggo ng Wika". PAREF Woodrose School for Girls. Retrieved 17 December 2016. It was also interesting to note that one of the Bayanihan members, Marielle Benitez, is a Woodrose alumna from batch 1998 and a former team captain of the national women's football team.
  6. Guerrero, Bob (15 December 2016). "PFF Women's League leads the charge for Pinay football". Rappler. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  7. "Marielle BENITEZ". FIFA. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  8. Tamayo, Brian (11 June 2016). "For Benitez, early exposure is vital in cultivating Philippine women's football". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  9. Sacamos, Karlo (2 August 2023). "Former skipper Marielle Benitez reflects on how far Filipinas have come". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  10. "She dances in her mother's shoes". 27 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  11. Jacinto, Frannie (7 April 2019). "Marielle Benitez & Dave Javellana: Like in sports, true love never quits". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
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