Women Footballers just want respect
The 2004 Regent’s Cup may sit safely on the mantle of Sagitun…but there’s another football championship at stake and those competing for the title are no less dedicated than their semipro colleagues. And did I forget to mention…these players are not men.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The Kulture Yabra female football team has been kicking up dust in the Belize District Women?s Competition. With a victory over their archrival, the Millennium Girls on Sunday, the team now boasts an undefeated record, three wins and one draw in four outing. Captain of the team Aracili Paulino says team spirit is what will carry the ladies to the championship.
Aracili Paulino, Captain, Kulture
?We are all about love and unity. We no quarrel pan the team and thing. We like play as one and thing.?
?Well we use the four-three-three strategy, that?s four defence, three midfield, and three forward.?
Paulino says that same winning strategy will be a big part of the game plan for Sunday?s match against competitors from Sand Hill.
Aracili Paulino
?We the bring it, so Sand Hill please bring it to. And we the use the same strategy as usual because if it noh bruk, we no fix it, check. We expect fi load sand hill up. So get ready Sand Hill.?
The team is made up of players from different areas of the City, including Lake Independence, Yabra and Queen Square. Head Coach Elvis Lewis says a careful blend of sportsmanship, dedication and good old hard work has given these ladies reason to believe that they are invincible.
Elvis ?Piggy? Lewis
?What keeps them together is the love, is their passion for the sport, the desire. Its also what keeps together is the family concept. Because our concept is that football is a family. Just like in a family you have the mother, the father, the brother the sister. And we have the same concept and that concept keeps us together. Because when something happens to one all of us suffer; all of us pay the price or suffer the consequences.?
Patrick Jones
The team is currently at the top of the league in which they are playing. And it?s plain to see why. There are no cry babies in this squad and after watching them work out, believe me when I tell you, these girls play hard.?
Team practices are held nightly at the Hostel Field next to the Racoon Street police station. And while attendance is a must Lewis says it does not always guarantee the players a position in the starting eleven.
Elvis ?Piggy? Lewis
?Attendance, a person can come to workout everyday but they don?t give me proper performance, while a player can come and workout two days and give me proper performance. So it?s a combination of performance and attendance.?
Lewis has been coaching women?s football for the better part of seven years. He has had to teach this squad everything from how to pass the ball, how to stop the ball and how to position the ball, fundamental things.
Elvis ?Piggy? Lewis
?And if you don?t have fundamental or basics, you won?t go nowhere because you can?t rely only on talent. Talent only takes you one step. But fundamentals will take you three steps because fundamentals in football is game related and everything you do in practice is game related.?
The team has been together as a unit for roughly for three years. While it has been a successful run, the sport of women?s football has yet to catch fire .
Aracili Paulino
?We would a want everybody dah Belize come support we and big up female football because we need more supporters out there. Noh only males need attention, we need attention to, ?cause we the try we best out there, and we do good to.?
Elvis ?Piggy? Lewis
?I would like their support morally, also financially and materially. When I say materially, if they can help me with equipments. They don?t have to give me the money. If they want they can buy the equipment and just bring it to me.?
Patrick Jones, Reporting
?What kind of equipment are you talking about??
Elvis ?Piggy? Lewis
?Well right now the type of equipment that I need is basically I need boots, I need some socks.?
It?s not a very long wish list. And even with limited resources, these ladies, some of whom have to juggle football, work and family life, find time to strike the perfect balance. And if they can be this successful with so little, imagine how much better they can be with a little help from friends. Patrick Jones for News Five.
Persons wishing to assist the Kulture Yabra women’s football team can contact any of the players or coach Elvis Lewis at telephone number 207-4101.
