A beautiful game for little girls

The Hindu

Mangalore, 01 August 2011: For a casual onlooker passing by Nehru Maidan in July, it would seem like any other football match: a team of tiny, yet enthusiastic boys taking on another equally keen team. But a closer look would reveal that most of the players sport ponytails but are not uber-cool boys, but girls, who are holding their own in the 15th Independence Cup football tournament organised by the Dakshina Kannada District Football Association. The finals will be held on August 15.

 

The Independence Cup, in fact, had girls teams participating before the film “Bend It Like Beckham” made it a topic of discussion. According to secretary of the Association, Mohammed Hussain, girls have participated in the tournament since the first one was held 15 years ago, with just 28 teams.

 

However, this year, the association has set aside a separate category for higher primary school girls, and four schools responded, bringing the total of girls teams up to 12. Speaking to MetroPlus after a hectic game in which his team won, Jason, the young coach of the Morning Star Higher Primary School, Bajpe, said that in previous years, higher primary girls’ teams would compete with high school girls’ teams.

 

 

Ask him why someone who has just completed his B.Com is coaching a young girls’ team, and he replies: “Primary school is the ideal age to mould yourself into a better player. Starting early always helps.” He regrets that he was not given such training when he was that age.

 

Possibly, he could have gone beyond playing for his college degree team, he felt. However, soon after the girls’ team won their match against Lourdes Central School, Jason rushed off to give a pep talk to the Morning Star Boys team. The girls’ team, whose game against Lourdes Central School saw some brilliant passing, gave their schoolmates bits of advice and tips. Despite the high enthusiasm, old-timers feel that the players lack skill and that their attraction towards the game has more to do with the television glamour.

 

Hussain says that many of the players appear to be attracted to the game through television. The players are enthusiastic, but they lack the physical work out and fall far short in developing their skill with the ball. Recalling the first tournaments, Hussain said the number of teams were less (there are over 150 teams this year), but the quality was good. Earlier, it was only the city which encouraged the sport, but now, even teams from rural areas are on a level-playing field.

 

He cites the girls in higher primary and high school teams as examples. In both categories, it is teams from rural areas which have won the finals. (The girls teams final are held early to make travelling convenient for the teams).

 

Not all the teams which participate are private schools. Several are aided and even government schools, who are making an entry into the sport as well as the tournament. The managements of schools are recognising the game and around half the teams in the tournament have a special coach.

 

This year’s unpredictable monsoon has brought both heavy rain and brilliant sunshine, but neither has managed to dampen the spirit or enthusiasm of the players. Walk past the football venue any time during the day and you will see the usual crowd, teams, supporters and parents. But the matches never fail to attract passers-by, who often sit on the pavement outside the maidan enclosure, following the match through the mesh-wire.

 

None of the players may reach glorious heights, but, for the players, their schools, colleges, parents and football lovers in the city, it is a beautiful game.