Anantapur Sports Academy, La Liga and Vicente Ferrer Foundation inspire a paradigm shift in women's football

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April 19 2024, 07:30 PM

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Anantapur football — Many girls in the U-15 category benefitted from the programme.

Bengaluru, July 15: As India celebrates its 75th year of independence, it was time to rejoice for many girls in the Anantapur village as an overwhelming response was received for the first course at the women's residential football academy set up there by La Liga, the La Liga Foundation and the Vicente Ferrer Foundation.

As many as 20 girls in the Under-15 age category received sports and social skills training, as well as financial and educational support from the programme.

In the last few years, there has been an exponential growth in interest in football among girls and women in rural India.

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As a consequence, different projects are emerging that aim to increase opportunities for their sporting development, as well as to promote possible future employment options in the football industry, given the increase in the number of leagues that have been created in recent years.

Residential academy

One of these projects is the residential academy at Anantapur for girls which participated in the activities organised by the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, through the Rural Development Trust (RDT), and La Liga, via its Women's Football Department and its Foundation.

The Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA) recently completed its first course, with 20 girls in the U-15 age category from rural communities receiving a one-year financial and training scholarship to live and train at the Anantapur Sports Village (ASV) facilities.

The residential academy provides them with the opportunity to improve their skills and contribute to their personal development, as well as giving the girls the opportunity to pursue their dream of playing football at a higher level, and to have the possibility of continuing their career in the sport.

Pursue dreams

The residential academy provided them with the opportunity to improve their skills and contribute to their personal development, as well as gave the girls the opportunity to pursue their dream of playing football at a higher level, and to have the possibility of continuing their career in the sport.

Thanks to this project, the girls involved had the option of training in high quality sports facilities, with good nutrition and proper educational follow-up.

Formal schooling

As a result of the initiative, they have all been enrolled in formal schools and have received classes in social skills, computer skills, health care, as well as being given sports equipment and training sessions.

The academy also provides an educational development plan for the most talented participants from this area to help them pursue a career in football, honing their skills under the tutelage of qualified coaches who oversaw and co-ordinated the project.

Paradigm shift

For ASA Director Sai Krishna, the most difficult challenge was in getting girls involved in sporting activities. "In Anantapur, none of them played sport. Currently, 45 per cent of the participants in all our projects are girls. A paradigm and mentality shift is taking place that is necessary to move the culture towards tolerance and equality," Krishna said.

His views were shared by La Liga Foundation Director Olga de la Fuente and La Liga Women's Football Department Director Pedro Malabia.