How Kaina Cesar prepared to play for the Haitian National Team 

Lipscomb’s Sophomore Goalkeeper Kaina Cesar has been selected to play for the Haitian national team.

The stellar goalkeeper who hails from Tours, France just completed her first season with Lipscomb in which she was voted to the 2024 All-ASUN Freshman Team and started in all 17 matches she appeared in. We spoke to Cesar about what her selection to this team means to her and how it came to be.

“I think it was a compilation of all of my work that I’ve been working on since [I was] younger… if someone’s called to play for their country of course they will say yes, so it was great news for me and my family, [and] they were really proud of me.” Cesar said “My Dad’s from Haiti and my Mom’s from a French Island named Guadalupe.”

Cesar didn’t know that she was eligible for the Haitian National Team, but once she found out she was excited to join the program. Cesar played her first game with the Haitian national team in Morocco in a friendly match in which they drew with the Moroccan National Team on Feb 25th.

“I’ve discovered a new type of playing, a new level of playing, so I’ve learned a lot even if it was [only] four days… I think it was a good way to grow up as a player even if I was the youngest. I think I really enjoyed it and I really improved myself”

Cesar had a save percentage of .700 and recorded 10 shutouts during her debut season with the Bisons. Even with such a strong resume at the college level Cesar still was enamored with the attention to detail that is required at the next level. 

“It’s all about the details… when you’re playing for a national team [everything] matters, every detail matters” she said “if you miss something it’s going to be a goal against you, so I think being a part of this experience and a part of this team for four days it was kind of like a professional world and that helped me to improve in my [perfectionism] especially as a goalie”

During her young Career, Cesar has played with and against some of the elite players in women’s soccer, but when asked to reflect on what experience prepared her to play internationally at the professional level she thought back to the time she spent playing with men’s players to sharpen her skills.

“I think starting to play with guys really improved my technical, tactical side of my soccer but I think coming here was so challenging for me and since I’ve succeeded to come here to come out of the country at a young age I think that helped em a lot to grow up as a person, but especially as an athlete and as a Christian… having that kind of… power I would say really helped me to go there and play my soccer.”

While still young, Cesar expressed much growth from her experience so far and will look to continue to grow from playing at the highest levels she can achieve. Cesar will continue to compete in the Women’s Friendly matches and return to the goal for the Bisons this fall.