Giving Girls A Pitch To Shine
Shraddha Yadav, India
Shraddha Yadav is a player with the Vision Rescue Girls Football Program in Mumbai, providing a safe place for girls to develop their skills. Vision Rescue is an NGO in India, working to free children from exploitation by engaging and sustaining them in education.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your current football life?
I am Shraddha Yadav, and I am 16 years old. I am from the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). I moved to Mumbai with my parents in search of better living conditions when I was nine. Today, I live in the Naigaon community in Dadar with my dad, mom and brother. My mother is a homemaker and my dad is a driver. I just finished my 10th Grade and I have applied for junior college. My brother is currently studying in 10th grade. I love to cook, read books, and solve puzzles.
I was passionate about sports but my school never had sports facilities. So my PE teacher told me about the Vision Rescue Girls Football Program. I was keen to join the Program. There were already a couple of girls from my school who were part of the Program, so I asked them how to enrol - they told me to just come along with them. So that is where I met the Vision Rescue coaches and got myself enrolled in the Program. I have been part of Vision Rescue for more than five years now.
What has your football journey been like up until now?
I started my football journey in 2016. Things were tough when I first started playing. My family was not very happy with me playing football. The society I am a part of believes that football is not meant for girls. I had to convince my family to let me go to football practice. They finally agreed to let me play. So that was when I started playing football regularly. I could finally play every day with my friends.
When I started, I did not know the basics of football. So I had to train every day to develop my skills and learn how to play football. In 2018 we participated in a tournament called the Conscient World Cup organised by Barcelona Football Academy for the first time and we won the tournament. That is one of the highlights of my journey so far!
What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a wider meaning with the photos?
I wanted to capture our football training and what we do during practice sessions, the drills and exercises. Sometimes it can be exhausting during training in the rough weather. But it is worth it.
We girls come from a zero-sports background so it is difficult sometimes. But given equal opportunity we can play competitive football. I just wanted to capture my teammates playing football. I hope the photos inspire other girls to take up sports too!
Some photos are taken at school, which is basically my second home. I spend most of my time there with friends and it is an emotional place for me. I recently graduated from this school which means I will be going to junior college now. I will definitely miss this place, especially my friends and teachers.
I also took photos at our training ground. This is where I spend my afternoons with my friends. I always look forward to football training because I get to learn football and also play matches. I also get to meet my friends and even make new friends. There is always something new to learn from my teammates.
I also took some photos at home. There is no place like home! The photo with my mom means the world to me as I think I am my mom’s favourite child and I love my mom! She means everything to me. My mother is camera shy. It was hard convincing her at the start, but it was fun and finally she agreed. I showed the house where I stay with my beautiful family.
Are there any stories connected to the people you photographed?
Two of my best friends are Suruchi and Chanchal. They have been my besties since school. They are the ones who introduced me to football. I love the photo of us cooling down on the grass. We are always having fun together, not just on the training ground but also at school or home. I love spending time with them. Life would have been different without these two. During the cool down we discuss how the practice went, and how as players we can improve our game. We give feedback to one another. Sometimes we talk about movies too!
What role does football play in your community and Indian society?
Most of our beneficiaries are from marginalised communities and from families that struggle financially. Many of our parents and people in society think girls should stay home and cook and look after the family and not play football. Vision Rescue uses football as a tool to change their perspectives towards girls playing sports by providing free football coaching programs in the community, giving equal opportunities to girls.
Football helps girls to break social barriers and it brings people together from all backgrounds. It also motivates the other girls and helps change the perceptions of women’s football. Nowadays more and more families are letting their girls play. It brings discipline, gives confidence, takes them to new places and helps us make new friends. As a football player myself it is good to see this change in our society. Thanks to Vision Rescue for empowering us.
What are the opportunities for women and girls to play sports in your community?
Football has the power to change communities and lives. Compared to before, these days there are more opportunities for girls. More football tournaments and grassroots programs are organised for the growth of girls football. Nowadays most of the schools and colleges also have girls’ football teams. Also, there are now football leagues that give us the opportunity to play competitive football at the highest level. Football has the ability to drive gender equality by teaching women and girls teamwork, self reliance, resilience, and confidence.
What impact has the Vision Rescue program had on you and your community?
I was given the opportunity to play football, to be part of a team, train regularly, and participate in various tournaments and events. Football allows me to travel to various places to play. Football has given me that exposure. It has helped me grow over years. Being a girl and brought up in my community has never been smooth, but thanks to the Vision Rescue Girls Football Program, it has helped me transform physically and mentally. The Program has empowered me to speak in public, promoted good behaviour and discipline in me, improving my concentration and coordination. I am better at teamwork and social skills because of this Program. I have grown so much in my confidence too. I am very grateful for this Program.
In the initial phases we faced many challenges. Most of the parents did not allow their children, especially girls, to play sports. Later on we were able to convince the parents. Now parents are sending their children for regular practice sessions and allowing them to participate in tournaments and sports events. Sometimes parents accompany them during the tournaments and events. We have got a positive response from the community, which helps the Program to run even better and enrol more children. Over the years we have empowered girls and boys through football and seen children's lives transformed over the years.
What does football mean to you? What ambitions do you have for the future?
Football means everything to me. I love this beautiful game. It has made me more competitive. It gives me so much happiness. I want to play this game at the highest level. I hope I inspire other girls to take up this sport too.
I want to play professionally and be a coach someday. I want to encourage other girls to come out of their shells and play this beautiful and rejuvenating game.
What do you think the future looks like for football in your community? What would you like to change?
The future looks bright in the community. More and more girls are taking up football which is a good sign. I hope it continues like this. There are various tournaments organised for the growth of the girls football team. There are certain sections of the society that still believe that football is not for girls and they cannot play it. I would like to change that.
