A historical moment awaits the girls’ football team, as they play competitively for the very first time. Ramya Sethia, the captain of the girls’ football team, was available to talk about the genesis of the team, their relentless practice sessions, the countless obstacles they have faced and finally the current state of the team.

The very thought of forming the first girls’ football team came into existence in August. The captain said that she was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who turned up for the trials – fifteen in total. The road ahead was a long one, full of extensive training and learning many new things. ‘We had to start from ground-zero,’ said the captain. Before a team could be formed, players had to be made out of the girls. This was achieved by going through the very basics of the game first. The team practised every day in the Balika Vidyapeeth (BVP) grounds, morning and evening. In these training sessions, they try to recreate possible game situations on the pitch. They train with the BVP senior team, which was praised by  Ramya for keeping possession well and being strong overall.

It has taken some time to shape up the team’s philosophy, a dynamic process which has led them to be more adventurous on the pitch than when they started. The captain emphasised the importance of counter-attacks. Conceding a goal isn’t an issue, but to be able to respond quickly is a must.

Since the team was formed only recently, practice started very late. ‘The institute too was caught off-guard in this respect, for they were unable to provide proper sporting facilities on time,’ the captain explained. The lack of equipment is being partly compensated for by the BVP team.

Ramya also spoke about the importance of keeping aside personal issues on the field. Coordination amongst teammates is key to any team sport, and one of the ways to achieve that is through consistent practice. Drills, special routines and general gameplay are all part of the practice session. This has helped in constant improvement, said the captain.

Ramya believes that participating in BOSM as a team is an entirely new experience, one which should be cherished. Not too concerned about the outcome, she wants the team to enjoy themselves on the pitch more than anything else. While she is confident that the team will improve after this experience, she also wants the team to give it their best against the very best!