11 Apr Pahl selects Saint Martin’s for NCAA Div. II intercollegiate soccer
Pahl selected Saint Martin’s University in Washington and will prepare to gain valuable playing minutes for the Saints in upcoming seasons. The Saints compete in NCAA Division II’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
“I’m very excited to move on to play college soccer, it’s been a dream of mine,” Pahl said during a signing presentation event at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. “My ultimate goal is to play professionally. College soccer will be helping me because I will continue to get an education while furthering my skills and preparing myself for the next level.
“In Guam’s national program, we have had to adjust to playing under multiple coaches, so I think overcoming that and learning to adjust will be a major factor in my adjustment to the level of play in intercollegiate soccer.”
Pahl began his journey in Guam’s national program as one of the first U8 Division players selected to the United Airlines GFA National Academy’s inaugural season in 2012. Through the Academy and the Center of Excellence, Pahl matriculated into youth national teams, including the Guam U16 National Team that competed at the AFC U16 Championship Qualifiers, now known as the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers, in 2019. Pahl later captained the Guam U20 National Team at the AFC U20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023™ Qualifiers in 2022 in Vientiane, Laos.
“Kai enters his first year of college after captaining our U20 Men’s National Team in Laos last year,” said Dominic Gadia, Guam U20 National Team Head Coach. “It was his first tournament in such a role, so I hope his experiences of leading a group of players serves him well as he looks to break into a new team. He has trained with some senior players here in Guam and with good performaces, he can push himself into future Matao squads.”
At the domestic club level, Pahl played youth soccer for the Wings FC in both the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth Soccer League and the Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth Soccer League. Pahl currently plays for the Wings FC in the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division, Guam’s top-flight men’s soccer league.
In the interscholastic scene, Pahl most recently captained the Father Duenas Memorial School Friars’ soccer team.
Off the pitch, Pahl was selected as one of Guam’s four AFC Youth Social Responsibility Ambassadors.
Pahl plans to study Kinesiology while in college. Pahl is the son of Duane Pahl and Miyoko Pahl from Dededo and has one brother Phoenix.
Kai Pahl, seated at center, poses for a photo with his family after signing his commitment letter to play intercollegiate men’s soccer for the Saint Martin’s University Saints in a signing presentation ceremony held Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Father Duenas Memorial School senior will be departing to Washington in August. In the photo are, seated from left to right, Miyoko Pahl (Kai Pahl’s mother), Kai Pahl, and Duane Pahl (Kai Pahl’s father). Standing in the back is Phoenix Pahl (Kai Pahl’s brother).