Jason Sabio - Grissom grad is shining star in native Philippines

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Former Grissom High School soccer standout Jason Sabio recently assisted with a goal to give the Philippine men's national soccer team a 2-0 victory over the Mongolian national team Feb. 9 in Bacolod.

Sabio, who was accompanied to the game by his father, Huntsville internist Dr. Norman Sabio, assisted on the second goal, scored by Phil Younghusband to give the Azkals an insurance goal in the win.

A native of Manila, Philippines, who moved to Huntsville when in the fifth grade, Sabio will rejoin his teammates in Mongolia for a rematch in mid-March. He will then travel to Bangladesh in late March for a series of three pre-qualifying matches for the Asian Football Cup, a precursor to the 2014 World Cup.

The former Alabama state high school soccer Most Valuable Player, played on a four-year soccer scholarship at Birmingham-Southern where he led his team to back-to-back Southeastern Conference titles. He earned a bachelor's degree in biological chemistry, graduating cum laude.

Sabio was invited to play on a professional soccer team in northwest Germany, but because of personal obligations at home, he declined the invitation. After returning to Huntsville, he helped the Rocket City United professional soccer team win the Southeastern Championship in 2009.

Sabio has served as head coach for the John Carroll High School boys' soccer junior varsity team and as an assistant head coach for state champion boys' team at the Birmingham School. He has also served as head coach for the Huntsville High School girls soccer team and as a coach for Huntsville United Soccer Club.

He is currently enrolled in his second year of law school at the University of Alabama where he is a player/coach of the club soccer team.

The Huntsville Times (USA)