Jennifer Turnek may have a tough decision to make soon.

Does she take the sure thing or wait for a call that may never come?

Turnek, a 16-year-old sophomore at Oak Harbor High School, was recently named to the Philippines national women’s soccer team. She is one in a pool of 30 who can be called to compete in World Cup and Olympic qualifying matches for the Philippines.

Or, does she wait to hear from the United States?

Turnek was born and raised on Whidbey Island but has dual citizenship because her mother, Josefina Turnek, was born in the Philippines.

Once she chooses to play for one country, she will be ineligible for the other.

Her ultimate dream is to play for the USA national team, but there is no guarantee she will be selected.

University of Washington head coach Amy Griffin, who is recruiting Turnek to play for the Huskies, recently reached out to the USA national soccer program on behalf of Turnek to find out if it has interest in Turnek before she plays for the Philippines.

Griffin was told Turnek “is on their radar.” If Turnek is chosen for the United States developmental program, it will still be a long grind to be selected to the national team.

The Philippines could request Turnek’s services at any time.

Turnek competed in a closed camp for the Philippines’ national team April 6-30 and earned a spot on the team.

In fact, she was told by coach Buda Bautisa she made the starting 11.

After camp broke, she didn’t leave with the team for a tournament in Vietnam because she wasn’t able to get her Philippines visa and FIFA paperwork completed on time.

In addition to playing for Oak Harbor High School, Turnek competes for Northwest United, a select team based out of Burlington, and in the Puget Sound Premier League. She joined Northwest United when she was 11 and has helped the team win three league titles and four Washington Cups.

Turnek and the Northwest United 98 girls reached the semifinals of the National Players League, and they are a leading performer in the Northwest Champions league, which includes teams from Washington, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia.

A Northwest United coach Joanna Houplin, who also plays for the Philippines national senior team, paved the way for Turnek’s tryout with the national team.

Turnek’s only other visit to the Philippines was when she was 7. This time she enjoyed being able to connect with her relatives and her mother’s homeland, although her commitment to soccer left little free time.

She was one of three North American girls at the camp, but since “99 percent of them spoke English,” communications wasn’t a problem, she said.

“Almost all of them understood English, but some did not speak it well,” Turnek said.

“It gave me a different look at the world,” she said. “It made me more appreciative of what we have in the United States.”

There was no Internet, and she didn’t care for the meals.

“The food — sheesh — was fish and rice every meal. I don’t like fish, but I ate it. I did not want them to think I was unappreciative.”

As a going away present, her teammates bought her a cheeseburger and put over 100 personal notes on her apartment door.

The camp was a positive experience, Turnek said, but being gone three weeks from school created other challenges, like making up over 30 assignments.

The camp also came in the center of a six-week whirlwind of soccer. Four days after playing in the Las Vegas Showcase, she competed in the Whitecap Showcase in Vancouver. Two days later she flew to San Francisco to get her passport, then traveled to the Philippines. Once back in the United States, she played in the State Cup.

Turnek began playing soccer at age 4 at Windjammer Park. Could Olympic stadiums in Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo be next?