Some of the best soccer players in the world will convene in Australia and New Zealand for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer. The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team will start their campaign on July 21 against Vietnam, while the Zambian squad will face Japan the following day. For fans of Prince George’s County soccer, the latter matchup may be the more significant game. Inonge Kaloustian, a 2017 Eleanor Roosevelt High School graduate who now helps coach the Raiders’ varsity team, is one of 42 players vying for the 23 spots on the Zambian roster, which will be finalized after a friendly international match in Ireland this June. She could join 2007 Roosevelt alumna Yewande Balogun – who is competing for a spot on the Nigerian national team – in Australia.
While Kaloustian’s skills and hard work have expanded her world, her roots always return her to Prince George’s County. A three-year varsity starter while at Roosevelt, Kaloustian led the Raiders to a state semi-final berth as a sophomore and led the county in goals as a senior. She also played basketball all four years, while playing club soccer for Coach Rob Kurtz at Maryland Rush. She found a college home with Coach Brie Smith at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. Smith praised Kaloustian as a person “coaches all dream of” because of “her ability to bring people together.” Most importantly, Smith believes that because Kaloustian is “not afraid of challenges” – like traveling halfway across the world for an uncertain opportunity – she is a remarkable leader.
The field and court have always been a platform for Kaloustian to develop her leadership skills and amplify her voice. Just as in high school, she earned captain’s honors during her time in Worcester. However, with her senior season marred by the coronavirus pandemic, Kaloustian helped shepherd Clark through a most difficult period – a task that Smith couldn’t praise enough. Instead of lamenting a lost season, she poured even more energy into her extracurricular pursuits off the field – participating in the Caribbean African Student Association while holding a position on the executive board of the Black Student Union. Furthermore, Kaloustian focused on the campus racial climate by co-founding the Clark Athletics Inclusion Coalition, which works to improve equity and representation for all races at Clark.
After graduating in 2021, Kaloustian enrolled at Johns Hopkins University for graduate work. Returning home gave her the chance to help coach at her alma mater; as a high school student, she never believed she would return to coach. Now she is completing a master’s of health science in epidemiology with a certificate in health disparities and health inequality, while making time for her soccer exploits, including two games in South Korea, on April 7 and April 11. Kaloustian’s trimester began at the end of March. She is balancing online coursework while training in Korea. Prior to her national team efforts, Kaloustian spent several weeks with a Zambian professional team.
On the field as a player, on the sideline as a coach or in the classroom as a student, Inonge Kaloustian is an adamant leader, an enthusiastic activist and a proud Prince Georgian. Whether sporting Roosevelt blue, Zambian green or professional attire for her many pursuits, Kaloustian does so with all of her heart.