Patricia Campos (pilot) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia Campos
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Patricia Campos Doménech
12 March 1977 Onda, Spain
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| Alma mater | University of Valencia |
| Occupation | Naval aviator, coach, writer, accountant |
Patricia Campos Doménech, born on March 12, 1977, is a Spanish football coach and a former pilot for the Spanish Navy. She made history as the very first woman fighter pilot in the Spanish Navy. In 2013, she left the Armed Forces and shared her personal story in a book, hoping to inspire and help others.
Biography
Patricia Campos Doménech was born in Onda, Castellón, Spain, on March 12, 1977. After studying audiovisual communication at the University of Valencia, she took special exams to join the Spanish Navy. She was one of only two people chosen to become a fighter pilot, beating about 200 other applicants. In this important role, she flew planes for very important people, including high-ranking military officers and even the Spanish royal family.
After serving for eight years as a pilot in the Spanish Armed Forces, Patricia decided to leave in May 2013. She wanted to be open about her life and felt her military career was not the right place for that. She then chose to follow her other big interest: football. She had played football in college and was even captain of the women's team at Naval Station Rota.
Patricia decided to become a professional football coach. She became one of the first women to coach a team at a professional level, working with Carlsbad United F.C. in the United States. She also travels to Uganda regularly. There, she helps with projects that support children and women, coaching different amateur football teams.
As of 2017, Patricia lives in Hawaii. She coaches the women's team at the Honolulu Bulls Soccer Club. She also works in the finance department at the University of Hawaii in the mornings. She used to write weekly about her experiences on a blog called Fútbol sin Fronteras (Football Without Borders).
Activism for Equality
While she was in the Navy, Patricia kept her personal life private. She explains in her book, Tierra, mar y aire (Land, Sea, and Air), that she felt "freed" when she decided to share her story. In her book, she talks about the importance of rights for women and for people who are different. She says that sharing her story was a very personal and carefully thought-out decision. She believed it was a way to help other young people who might be in similar situations.
Awards and Recognition
Patricia Campos Doménech has received many awards for her achievements and her work helping others.
In 2016, she won the Miki Roqué Award for Peace in Sport. This award recognized her work in Uganda, where she coached children's teams for the Soccer Without Borders organization.
Also in 2016, she received the 2015 Seny Onder Award. This honor celebrates her life achievements and her actions to help others.
Some of her other awards include:
- The 2008 Women in Aviation Award from the Association of American Women Pilots in Italy.
- The 2010 Woman of the Year from the Onda Progressive Women's Association.
- The 2012 Isabel Ferrer Award from the Generalitat Valenciana.
- A special mention for 2014 Sports Merit from the Castellón Sports Press Association.
- The Altruism Award from Cadena SER's El Larguero Foundation.
- She was named a 2015 Woman of Achievement by the United Nations' Beijing Platform for Action.
See also
In Spanish: Patricia Campos Doménech para niños
