For All The Girls
Sheyla Mohammad Molina, Spain
We have teamed up with the adidas Breaking Barriers Project to tell the stories of six coaches and leaders from sports organisations across Europe - from Spain, Netherlands, Croatia, Serbia, and Italy. The project empowers women to undertake leadership training which helps to break the barriers that girls across Europe face, giving them easier access to sport. Sheyla Mohammad Molina is a coach with La Rotllana Association in Badalona, Spain.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your sports journey?
My name is Sheyla Mohammad Molina and I grew up in Badalona in Catalonia. I have been involved in sports since I can remember. When I was three, I started dancing (until I was 12) and then skating (for two years), and after this I did taekwondo for four years. Four years ago, I started playing korfball in my club, Club Korfbal Badalona. This is where I learned to play korfball and saw the huge difference between playing alone and playing as a team. In my free time I like to do water sports such as paddle-surfing or snorkelling.
As I have played sports since I was a child, I have been breaking barriers since then. I remember in one taekwondo exhibition a boy did not want to “fight” against me because I was a girl. Since that moment I was aware that society does not see boys and girls equally.
In P.E. lessons at school, as a sporty girl I liked to join in with any physical activity but sometimes there was discrimination from the teacher as he made groups only focusing on gender. I think that every time you are on a field as a girl you are exposed to many judgments, but the most important thing is to not give up and continue with your passion.
Five years ago, I started volunteering with La Rotllana, first in my high school, then for a project with old people in a residence, and then as an instructor for the teenagers during the academic year and summer (for sport and non-sports activities). Finally, I started volunteering in the adidas Breaking Barriers Project, where (along with the other Champions) we organise activities and try to make sport affordable for all the girls in our town.
What did you try to capture with your photos and was there any wider meaning? What do these images mean to you as a champion of the adidas Breaking Barriers Project?
The photos were taken in different locations - some in my town, during meetings of the adidas Breaking Barriers Project, in the spaces we have here to play sports outdoors, and of girls playing sports thanks to other adidas intiatives.
Other photos were taken during the initial part of our adidas Breaking Barriers Project called Spring Camp 4 Girls, where the girls were able to learn about their own bodies (menstruation lesson, yoga sessions, healthy habits) and practice different sports such as Korfball, Ultimate Frisbee, or Kin-Ball. We give them a safe space where they can be themselves without any restrictions. You can see some of the Champions that made the camp possible and the participants that joined us in the different activities.
I was trying to capture the reality of the girls in my town, how much they appreciate having the opportunity to practice any sport, the few places we have for sport (without paying), and the motivation that the Champions have for this project. I believe “a picture is worth a thousand words” and they make us remember why we are doing this - for all the girls!
What is your favourite photograph? Why?
On the second day of the Spring Camp 4 Girls, the girls started to know each other through sports and they self-organised matches and teams in their free time. It made me feel excited to see that they had the opportunity to participate in the first project made by and for women.
What role does sport play in your community and Spanish society?
In my community I see that sport plays an important role because of what it can do for teenagers. Some of them have problematic situations at home or at high school and they can feel free when practising sports that they like the most. Sport can be used as a change agent.
In Spanish society sports have always been seen as something only for men for many years. Nowadays this situation is changing, little by little. In general, sport is something that unifies people and families. Here the most played and watched sport is football, so there is so much pressure to practice or to know about it.
What are the opportunities for women and girls to play sports in your community and in Spain?
I think that the opportunities to play sports in Spain are different across the country but there are some common factors that make it more difficult for women and girls to play. In many cases, as a girl you are not able to decide for yourself and many have responsibilities in the house. Moreover, they often do not feel safe in places if they are far away, must take public transport alone, or if it is late.
Here in my community, there are different teams to join but for most of them you have to pay a high amount of money. This means the opportunities for the girls are reduced to playing with their friends at the park or at the beach.
What impact has the adidas Breaking Barriers Project had on your journey as a leader and change-maker?
The adidas Breaking Barriers Project has made me more aware of the different realities the girls of my community are struggling with. It has been a really important opportunity for me to be one of the Champions so I can share my own experiences with other girls. I try to make them feel secure about themselves to follow what they want, no matter what people say. It is important to raise the voices for all girls and to be brave to stand up in situations that I consider unfair.
How important are the people and the community of La Rotllana to you?
It has been really important to know with the workers and volunteers of La Rotllana. I have learnt so much, and it is incredible to see the work that everyone does for other people in the city. It is a privilege to work with them and see that a better world is possible if everyone collaborates.
With the other Champions, we have been sharing experiences together for almost three years. Our relationships have been progressing to more understanding and active listening. We can trust in each other because we know that we are empowering the girls of our city and we have to work together to give them the opportunities we did not have.
What does sport mean to you? What ambitions do you have for the future?
For me sport is another form of expression, another part of my personality. Sport has always been present in my life and I do not think it will ever change. In the future I would like to encourage other girls to practice sport and to believe in themselves.
Also, I would like to have more experiences related to sports and learn about other philosophies of team sports - every team has a different view of sport. In my team we think that everyone deserves an opportunity to try, no matter if you are the best player or a beginner. Sport is not only about competition.
What do you think the future looks like for sport in your community and country? What do you want to change? How would you improve gender equality?
The future is full of opportunities for the new generations that want to change the world. But we have so much work to do starting with the little children. I would like to change the way we make the distinction between girls and boys when they are playing sports.
I would start in the nursery where we give a doll to a girl and a ball to a boy. Both boys and girls can play with both. I believe that it would help to have more girls enjoying sports in the future and break barriers that currently exist.
To learn more about the adidas Breaking Barriers Project, visit: https://www.adidas.co.uk/breakingbarriers
Series edited by Emma Walley.