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Sanchez carrying Chile’s hopes at World Cup

By WTOP Staff

STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer

CUIABA, Brazil (AP) — In the shadow of Lionel Messi at Barcelona, Alexis Sanchez is undoubtedly the main man for Chile as the fleet-footed forward attempts to cap the most prolific season of his career by playing a starring role at the World Cup.

Sanchez is the face of Chilean football, adorning posters, advertisements and turning up in TV commercials. In one — made for Gillette around two years back — he appears as a boxer, Formula One driver, weightlifter and a high-platform diver, a champion in all his different guises.

And it’s fitting, really. To the adoring Chilean public, there’s little Sanchez cannot do.

On the pitch, it was his poise in front of goal that was often perceived to be his chief deficiency. But he rectified that this season, scoring 21 times for Barcelona from the right wing including two goal-of-the-season contenders.

Sanchez is turning into the complete package, just in time to grace the sport’s biggest stage in Brazil.

“You use those sorts of guys, playing (console game) FIFA, and you see them in footballing headlines all over the word, so it is a little bit daunting,” said Australia goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who will come up against Sanchez in Chile’s opening Group B game in Cuiaba on Friday.

“I’ll just have to do my best to look at the ball and not at the player to see who it is.”

The 25-year-old Sanchez is the first name on the team sheet for Chile but is not held quite in such high regard at Barcelona.

He has never been a regular in his three years at Camp Nou following his move from Italian side Udinese. Even with his strike rate soaring this season, improving on league totals of 11 and eight goals in his first two years with the team, he has often been dropped to the bench for the big games.

Cesc Fabregas started ahead of him in Barcelona’s Champions League quarterfinal defeat to Atletico Madrid and also in the loss to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final. There is even talk of Sanchez leaving the club in the offseason as new coach Luis Enrique overhauls the squad.

Barcelona’s loss would be another club’s gain, though.

For Sanchez is just starting to fulfil his potential on the international stage. Playing in a more central position in attack alongside Eduardo Vargas may have helped improve his finishing — just ask England, whose defense Sanchez tore apart in a sublime two-goal display in a friendly at Wembley Stadium in November.

“Alexis is different,” Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli said through a translator on Thursday. “He can go in behind (the defense), and then he can of course go deeper and take advantage of goal-scoring opportunities.

“We need this type of player who is very nimble and is quick to break through strong defenses.”

Born into a poor family, Sanchez turned to football as a form of “survival.”

“I told my mother from a young age, ‘Don’t worry, I will become a football player and get us out of this situation,'” Sanchez said last year.

“If I had failed, I would be working 15-hour days on construction sites and still not be earning enough to live. Football saved me.”

That attitude is borne out in the way he plays, always full of endeavor and never giving defenders any peace.

And he doesn’t forget his roots, returning to his home village of Tocopilla in northern Chile every year at Christmas time to spend time with his family and deliver gifts to children from on top of a truck.

A street in Tocopilla is named after him and there could be more honors from his homeland if Sanchez, a player at the peak of his powers, can inspire Chile to produce something special at the World Cup.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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