Goodbye Bellevue, hello New Zealand.

That’s the case for Bellevue High School’s Kate Bennett, a junior recently named to the U-17 national soccer team that will compete in the U-17 World Cup, beginning Tuesday in New Zealand. Bennett, who had spent her summer traveling with the national team, was named to the team after impressing in the program’s most recent training camp. Bennett left Bellevue Thursday to join the team.

“She’s at the highest level at her age group in the whole world,” said Bellevue coach Jon Anderson. “It’s going to do nothing but make her better. The experience alone will last a lifetime.”

Bennett had spent the first month of the soccer season splitting her time between Bellevue’s program and traveling for the U-17 team’s training camps in hopes of making the squad. When it became apparent to Anderson that it wasn’t the best way for Bennett to make the squad, he approached her about alternative plans. She had the same idea.

“We discussed what it would take for her to achieve this goal,” Anderson said. “One of the conclusions we both had was that she couldn’t get the intensity or the caliber of athletes for her to train against in school soccer to have the best chance at making the roster.”

Bennett left the Wolverines three weeks ago, and since that time had been practicing against the Crossfire Premier Academy boys team, a move Anderson said the team was very supportive of.

“There were definitely tears, but she made the right choice,” Anderson said. “She was so worried about leaving the team and not helping the seniors have the best final year they could have. I told her she had to worry about herself with this one.

“She’s sacrificed so much…she was giving up something she loved to reach her dream.”

A midfielder, Bennett is the only player from Washington on the team’s 21-player roster. As a sophomore last season she led Bellevue to an 11-4-3 record, scoring 11 goals and adding six assists.

“Everyday with Kate is special,” Anderson said. “She always does something amazing that just astounds you.”

Anderson added that Bennett’s potential is “unlimited” because of her attitude.

“There are a lot of gifted athletes in the world, but it’s something else to have the attitude that she does,” he said. “That’s what separates her.”

World Cup play kicks off for the U.S., drawn into Group C for the tournament, on Oct. 30 against Japan before facing off with Paraguay on Nov. 2 Both games will be played at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. The team will then shift to Auckland to play France at North Harbour Stadium.