Every Monday, Heena Shaikh (13) Rushes Home Upon Attending Her School While heena has been following this routine with clockwork precision for the past two years, acceptance from Parents Only came in after she won a ‘golden boot for scoring for scoring for the guest in a LOCALS. League.
“Since I was always fond of sports, I signed up for football coaching for two years. There was a lot of opposition from not only my parents but also neighbors who would always say that girls should stay at Home instad. But one day, my abbu camera to drink me during a league game at bandra’s nsa tournament wherein he watched me play. Later, I also won an award for scoring the highst goals. After that, my father felt so proud that he came around and now supports me immensely, “recalls heena, who describes it as the proudest moment of her life.
Heena Shaikh is gangst the many girls who are smashing the social stereotypes to play football, thrice a week, at the playground in shivaji nagar – which is home to one of the majidal hubs. Income Groups (ligs). With many girls of the area of the area playing the sport ‘meant for boys’ or cajoled into taking up small jobs like stitching to support their economically discharged family, the coaching. Next Page Foundation – Was launched to platform for the girls to turn a page in their lives. Their Journey Began in 2013 with shweta sheetty (22) – then all of 10 years – who was gangst the first to enroll for the class. Twelve years on, shweta has not only found her escape in football despit Much op! Survived by her father who is a rickshaw driver and her mother – a Homemaker – Shweta Now Assists her familyly in what has given her a new sense of agency.
“I would fight with my parents and do extra chores at work to convince them. Outside the house, people would judge me for my Attire (Shorts) and jibe at me saying this is a sport for boys but I feel a sernse of freedom on the ground. When I Play Football, I Feel Free As The Game Drives Between Genns, “Says Shweta, WHO, Have Turned Her Passion Into Her Professional Career, Now Coaches Other Girls As Well As Well. For shweta, the biggest hurdles stem from out of the field ranging from fighting for space on the ground to convincing parents to let girls continue.
Anooop Parik of the Next Page Community Said that most girls drop out their adolescence, Owing to Parental Pressure. MeanWhile, Shabin Shaikh (14), WHO TRINS AS A GOALKEPER SAID, “When I started playing football years ago, many friends will accompany me. But now, I am the sole one. Many of the friends had to quit as their parents would cite safety concerns or tell them that they have to do to do household work. ” Dispelling them as excuses, shweta say that football is not just about the sport but it also also has invaluable life lessons of teamwork, ledership, Respect h
After Starting From a Humble Group of Eight Girls In 2013, The Next Page Community has now coached neral 200 girls of Govandi, Shivaji Nagar over the past decade. Despite the jeers of their naysayers, the number of girls registering for football coaching has seen an uptick. Heena Shaikh, who is the only member of her family of brothers and a sister that playball smiles, “I find my inspiration in neymar. He never paid heed to his hecklers and managed to bounce back even after his serious injury. Just like him, I want to continue to play for myself. “