By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
EDWARD Santiago Arriola III, known as “Shoomy” by his teammates, took a monumental step in his athletic career last Friday when the 18-year-old goalkeeper from Marianas High School signed a contract to play collegiate soccer for William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The signing marks a historic milestone for soccer in the Northern Mariana Islands.
The signing is historic not just for Shoomy, but for the NMI soccer community, as he is the first goalkeeper from the islands recruited directly out of MHS to play collegiate soccer in the United States.
Arriola’s journey to the collegiate level began at age seven. While experimenting with various positions throughout his youth, he eventually found his true calling between the posts.
Arriola shared in an interview with Variety, “I always liked scoring goals, but seeing the impact I have when I save goals — it’s kind of better than scoring because you get to do it more.”
His path has not been without challenges. Arriola discussed the mental hurdles of being a goalkeeper, noting that maintaining confidence after a tough game was often his biggest struggle. The geographical isolation of Saipan also made the recruitment process particularly difficult.
Arriola said, “To get committed here was pretty hard. It was hard to get my name out, hard to reach out to coaches. Many of them would say, ‘Yeah, we’re interested in you, come to our camp,’ but it’s miles away, and you can’t just leave for a few days and come back.”
The breakthrough came through the Next College Student Athlete recruitment network, which helped bridge the gap between Saipan and the mainland U.S. William Penn University Coach Simon Brown recognized Arriola’s potential and offered him a scholarship providing both athletic and academic support.
Arriola added, “Being one of the few from the island, there is a lot of pressure that comes with it. But I’m also really excited to go out there and show everybody what I’m capable of and what the islands have to show for football.”
He is eager to test his skills against the high-intensity, American- and European-influenced playstyles found in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics or NAIA, which he noted will be a significant shift from the Asian-influenced style common in Saipan.
Arriola is no stranger to high-stakes competition, having represented the CNMI National Team. His most recent international experience was a trip to China for the U23 AFC tournament in August of last year. Locally, he has been a stalwart for MP United and Shirley’s Football Club, where he also serves as a youth coach.
As the only player from the islands recruited directly out of high school, Arriola feels the weight of expectation but remains focused on his goals. He is set to depart for Iowa in late August to begin the fall season and plans to major in International Business.
When asked for advice for other aspiring island athletes, Arriola offered a message of persistence: “Do not think there’s never an opening for you. Just because you apply and get declined does not mean you can’t make it.”
With a dream of one day playing professionally, Arriola is just getting started. The NMI will be watching closely as their homegrown talent takes on the global stage.
William Penn University, founded in 1873, competes at the NAIA level in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Its men’s soccer team, the Statesmen, has achieved national Top 10 rankings in recent years and advanced to the NAIA national tournament, presenting an exciting opportunity for a student-athlete from the islands.
During the contract signing on Friday, Arriola’s parents, Ed and Marilou, shared remarks alongside NMIFA Vice President Vicki Izuka, recognizing Shoomy’s hard work and the association’s role in his success.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
