The Crusaders Experience, Part One: Spongebob is Born.

Following my previous articles about the state of women's football in South Africa, I have decided to take a different route this time round by telling a story. Not a piece that sparks debate or raises issues surrounding the topic, just a story.

I was a part of Crusaders FC in the season of 2011. I had just moved back to South Africa after leaving Saudi Arabia and, amongst preparing to write my GCSEs, finding a football club was a priority. I was referred to Crusaders FC, whose home ground was St Stithians College in Johannesburg, and immediately began the registration process. I turned up to the first training session as one of four girls and one coach. I was often one of two players every other day. Unsatisfied with this, I looked to join a second club in Randburg. I was quickly informed that this would be of no use, as the Randburg team and coaches were leaving their home ground and merging with Crusaders. And there it all began...

Turning up to the 'new' Crusaders training session was very different to my first experience. A total of approximately 15 girls attended, and I was warmly welcomed as a new member and player. I was told to bring in an ID photo so that I could register to play in the leagues with my new team, and I was overwhelmed by the professionalism and proper regulations surrounding the team. This was my first opportunity to play football at, what felt like, a semi-professional level, and so my passion and dedication to my favourite sport reached new heights. Initially slightly intimidated by the evident talent that existed at Crusaders, I quickly gelled with my teammates as well as secure my position as the center player and, frequently, a striker. 

I trained 2-3 times a week with a match on the weekend, and football became more of a focus than it had ever been in the past. I was thoroughly enjoying the serious environment I was playing in and realised that playing for Crusaders wasn't as simple as just being a member: I was part of a growing community of football-crazed girls, like myself, with an abundance of opportunity on offer, and people that took me seriously. My obsession for football was becoming more and more noticeable, to the extent that not going to training or matches was punishment. This was indeed the case as I was 'banned' from football for two weeks by my parents for skipping a maths lesson. (I can say with confidence that those two weeks were excruciating). As Crusaders entered the most competitive parts of their season, I was becoming increasingly more committed, and was sacrificing most of my weekends to play in some of the most important matches. However, I did not think twice about what I would be doing on a Friday evening when being told there was a match to play.

Crusaders grew and success started to mount as we entered more than one league, one being full of young boys' teams. Like any football club, at any level, we enjoyed victory many times but suffered defeat on occasion, too. However, Crusaders was rapidly becoming a team to look out for on the field, with players as young as 14 playing in women's leagues. Crusaders is where I was given the nickname 'Spongebob' by my coach, Evan, for (apparently) tackling like a sponge. I like to think that, because this was in one of my first matches at Crusaders, my tackling improved, even if the nickname stuck. The combination of players in Crusaders during my time there made us almost unstoppable, with every match being played with the most admirable sense of drive and fervor. We came the closest to the definition of 'team' that I had ever been fortunate enough to experience. And not only were we a team, we became a family.

Leaving Crusaders to tend to the next chapter of my life at boarding school in England wrenched tears from myself as well as my coaches, who had played such significant roles in my football career in such a short period of time. Despite being dubbed the 'Spongebob' of the team, the 'Crusaders Experience' will forever be a part of me. I was lucky enough to attend the end-of-year prize-giving during a visit to South Africa on my half-term break, and my impact on the team was marked by the 'Most Valuable Player' trophy of the 2011 season. My abilities to be descriptive are not sufficient enough to illustrate the significance of this award to me, and made my departure from Crusaders that much harder.

Shortly after starting football in England, the first training session was met by overwhelming emotion at the huge differences between this college team and Crusaders. Even though I was unaware of the success that was to come during my two years there, I couldn't help but feel desperate to be back at Crusaders. I could tell immediately that girls did not share the same passion as I did for football, with lots of screaming and laughing apparent on the field, and a coach that seemed to have very little control. Even though this all changed and I found my place in a team that went on to win many games and have players get selected to play regionally, it was different. However, it would be unfair of me not to point out that school football and club football are separate to each other, both with different environments. And both which I thoroughly enjoyed and thrived in.

But I will always be the #11 player nicknamed Spongebob. That, I will carry everywhere I go.

This is longer and more elaborate than I planned it to be; I may have gotten slightly carried away. Following this is a 'Part 2' story about the journey and expansion of Crusaders, its players, and its coaches beyond their home ground, and as a symbol of hope in the developments of girls' football.

All for now,
Gabi

Desperate For 'The Gap'.... To Be Bridged Between Men's and Women's Football in South Africa.

So, Danny Jordaan is the new President of SAFA (South African Football Association), but what part of his campaign is focused on women's football? When reading articles about his plans to kill off 'failure and mediocrity' in South Africa in terms of football, one would feel hopeful

that Bafana Bafana will eventually be a more believable squad at a World Cup level, but will there be any attention paid to 'The Girls'? Is Banyana Banyana, or girls' football in general, a part of Jordaan's plans to reconstruct the state and development of football in South Africa? We can only hope that these involve improving research and funding of women's football in the country.

The day before the SAFA EXCO elections took place, I had the opportunity to chat with the Head of Women's Football at SAFA: Fran Hilton-Smith. Ms. Hilton-Smith has been acknowledged by the South African State Presidential Awards for the Development of Women’s Football in South Africa. I was eager to know more about her plans and hopes for the future of women's football, and exactly what her opinion was on the state of the sport. I also spoke with Jos Dirkx, founder and director of the award-winning NGO 'Girls & Football SA' organisation, who gave me her opinion on the matter. Her organisation focuses on the development of girls and young women in South Africa through sport, media and education, as well as raising awareness on the importance of sport for women.

Let's face it, South Africa lags far behind behind in terms of women's football (particularly compared to the men's game). The support for and success of women's football pales in comparison to countries such as the UK and the USA.

In the UK, Arsenal Ladies Football Club dominates the Women's Premier League in England, whilst South Africa does not even have a women's professional league.

Ms. Hilton-Smith gave me insight on why SAFA have not introduced a premier league, and why the men's sides (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs) do not have a ladies side. Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka Swallows are the only domestic clubs in South Africa that have a women's side, but what about the rest? How are they supposed to compete? Ms. Hilton-Smith claimed that clubs do not show much interest in having womens' sides when the Head of Women's Football advocated this. She added: "Some say it's bad luck to have women playing before them or using the change rooms!"

Is it not ludicrous that women are being denied the chance to play professionally because the men in the domestic clubs think it's 'bad luck' to have women play before them or using the change rooms? This is a mentality that SAFA needs to aim to eradicate. Ideally, if SAFA ever succeed in solving this problem, it would be the way to go for the success and growth of women's football. Rather, by encouraging and allowing female players to play prior to men's games, it is possible to generate interest for the women's teams, as well. Supporters will turn up to stadiums to watch the men's teams, so is there any harm in having the women play before them?

The main issue, however, is encouraging a willing sponsor to invest in a women's premier league. Ms. Hilton-Smith estimated that it would cost around R35 million and, although a professional league is a must, there is no sponsor coming forward for this. It is understandable that this is a lot of money, but why are there no organisations that are willing to take the risk? Sasol is Banyana Banyana's only sponsor, as well as the Sasol League's, but SAFA lost ABSA (Amalgamated Banks of South Africa) as a sponsor in 2012, leaving the ABSA women's league to struggle. The league is now only being run by the regional teams and sponsored by the Legacy Trust Fund, which invested R13 million into the women's regional league this year. Although this is nowhere near enough money to support a professional league, it will ensure that more girls are playing at a junior level that is taken seriously - and this is where Girls & Football SA comes in. When investment is in the devlopment of young women through football, there will be more talented players moving upwards, in addition to a stronger social structure in South Africa. Both Ms. Hilton-Smith and Dirkx shared the sentiment that, without a dedicated sponsor to women's football, growing the sport in the country would remain a challenge. A professional league is a must and, in 2013, there is no reason why potential sponsors should underestimate the potential of women's sport.

Another issue I raised with Ms. Hilton-Smith is the role of South African media in the development of women's football. We all know how much power the media has, so why can't it play a part in helping women's football grow? For example, Arsenal Ladies Football Club have their fixtures and results posted on the main sports page on the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) Sports website: one of the UK's leading broadcasting companies. Therefore, women's football in England has a much larger audience due to its high exposure. Could South Africa take a similar route by publishing more of Banyana Banyana's news on SuperSport, for example? Only 8% of the media is focused on the development of women's football, so increased exposure would lead to a larger dedicated audience which, in turn, would benefit potential sponsors. Ms. Hamilton-Smith claims that the media does "pretty well if they are given information and if something is happening," but this does not seem prevalent in South Africa at all. How many South Africans are aware of Banyana Banyana's matches and can easily gain access to the coverage of their matches?

 On a positive note, there are significant developments being made in the local leagues where girls are being given the opportunity to play at a semi-professional junior level. Under-13 and under-15 leagues have been introduced, which will give girls a place to pursue their passion of football and encourage them to develop, giving them more exposure to regulated and serious playing environments. This, hopefully, will pave the way for talented players to achieve more, such as playing nationally.

Interview with Founder and Director of 'Girls & Football SA', Jos Dirkx. 

Jos was born in Brazil and has traveled the world since, living in countries such as Bangladesh, Sudan and Eritrea, prior to moving to South Africa. Upon arrival in Cape Town, Dirkx launched Girls & Football SA in 2010 and later registered in April 2012 as a not for profit organisation. The founding of the organisation was propelled by her passion for social justice and gender equality. I interviewed her to add an additional perspective to my interview with Ms Hilton-Smith about this topic, asking her similar questions. She was extremely informative and helpful, and her passion and work towards women's rights around the world is admirable.

Girls & Football SA was, in part, started in reaction to the men's FIFA World Cup in 2010, where Jos noticed the overwhelming "attention and energy" that centred around the male football players. This prompted a few questions: what about the female players? What is the state of women's and girls' football in South Africa? It was in this year when Girls & Football SA started their work. The organisation works closely with Ms. Hilton-Smith of SAFA and, together, have helped the growth of women's football in South Africa which, according to Jos, has "made noticeable improvements over the recent years." Comparatively to the rest of the African continent, there have been significant changes in the space for women's football in South Africa. Prior to this, Jos stated that "attitudes around women that play football were exceedingly prevalent and often negative," and so work started to help get girls onto the field, and challenged the overall stigma about what it means to be a woman playing sport. What Girls & Football SA is also trying to accomplish is getting boys and men more involved in building an understanding around female athletes, which would hugely benefit the overall growth of the female football society and culture that exists in South Africa. Girls & Football SA aims to benefit the overall growth of the female football society to help develop a safe space around women's sport in South Africa.

One of the main arguments that has been put forward in this topic is the role of the media in women's football in South Africa, and whether it's involvement is prominent enough. Jos commented that the media has been considerably better over the last few years, and that stories reporting on women's football have a less sexist tonality than they did a few years ago. However, she also confirmed the overriding feeling that there is "absolutely not enough coverage" and that "women's football is often added as an after-thought." Women's football in the USA is absolutely celebrated and is not made inferior to men's football in any way, so why can this not be the case in South Africa? Whilst Girls & Football SA will continue to work on trying to change this mentality, the people of South Africa should try, too.

With regards to Fran Hilton-Smith's statement about the mens domestic clubs in South Africa having no interest towards a women's league, and the belief that it is 'bad luck' to have women playing matches before them or using the changing rooms, Jos gave me her thoughts. She commented: "In 2013, that is unacceptable. It's an issue we've long been trying to deal with; the simple solution of 'adding' a women's side to the existing men's is a no-brainer." The fact that this argument has become so outdated, where little effort has been put into the proposition by the mens clubs in South Africa, is worrying. Jos and Ms. Hilton-Smith apparently spoke about the issue around 3 years ago: Why not have women's sides? The resistance to including a women's league could be triggered by the fact that increasing the inclusion of women in the 'beautiful game' causes a change in an existing patriarchal structure, but why is South Africa so afraid of change? Why is SAFA and clubs in South Africa not willing to take risks? Given the fact that the female national side actually performs better than the men, Dirkx states it shouldn't even be a point of discussion. Overall, women's football does not receive the respect and appreciation it deserves.

Above all, Jos and Girls & Football SA focus on the importance of sport in the life of girls and women. I spoke about the development of football at junior levels and whether the future success of women's football in South Africa really does lie in the youth, and Jos is aware that "it does make a big difference when you start sport at a young age, where girls develop passion and interest when they're younger. Sport is one of the three points on our [Girls & Football SA] agenda, but for me it's not about girls going on to play football at a professional level. It's about what sport brings to your life." Jos and her organisation introduces the notion that girls playing football, and sport in general, does not necessarily equate huge, international sporting success (nor should it have to). A large element relates to equality: women playing football support the notion of a developed, equal and gender sensitive environment. What really matters is that women are given the chance to play competitively, even if it's in a male-dominated sport. Dirkx states: "It's not about starting from an early age, training for 12 hours every 3 days on the field. It's about self-esteem, self-respect, body ownership, standing your ground, knowing your rights and, if channeled correctly, this can all come through sports."

Organisations such as Girls & Football SA are key in promoting women's football, and giving girls a chance to pursue their hopes and dreams. Through an emphasis on gender equality, the football culture in South Africa will evolve and progress. South Africa, as a nation, needs to collectively drive themselves towards the transformation of all sporting institutions to be gender representative. Should this be implemented, success will follow, as well as the celebration of female football players.

Please take a moment to look at the Girls & Football SA website for more information about Jos and the work she does.

Survey on young people of South Africa about the general opinion of the state of women's football. 

To add to this article, I chose to create a survey to get insight from the young people of South Africa about what they thought about the state of women's football in SA. It was interesting, yet reassuring, to know that the general feeling was that women's football is supported, at any level. However, parallel to this, the majority of responses felt that women's football in South Africa needs a more professional approach, from coverage right through to coaching and quality of play. The majority of responses also showed that people are willing to get involved to watch women's football in South Africa grow, from charity organisations to fund raising events. This just shows that the people of South Africa are willing to put in the effort, given that they have a platform to work from.

South Africa need to learn to embrace change. Sport is such a huge part of South Africa's communities and culture, but it cannot be left in the state it currently is in. Women deserve a voice. Women deserve success. Women deserve to contribute to the sporting world.

All for now,
Gabi

Sports and Drugs Shouldn't Mix: Is There a Solution?

I've been thinking about the topic of performance-enhancing drugs recently, mainly due to the recent Lance Armstrong events and also after watching the ESPN Documentary '9.79*' about Ben Johnson. The use of steroids has grown rampant in the last few years, both in sports and social aspects, and I struggle to come to terms with the motives behind it. But after thorough research and objectively considering different arguments, I have managed to dive rather deep into the World of Steroids and Performance-Enhancing Drugs.

What are steroids?
I'm no scientist/doctor/physiotherapist, so here is what the BBC says:

Anabolic steroids are a group of hormones found naturally in our bodies. They are involved in growth, physical development and the function of the reproductive organs.

The drugs are manmade versions of the same or similar hormones. They come as pills or capsules. They are usually taken by mouth, but can be injected. Their medical use is limited to boosting red blood cell numbers in anaemic patients.

Bodybuilders, sports fanatics and athletes use them to increase the rate and amount of muscle growth.

What are the health effects?

Anabolic steroids can stunt growth in young people. Heavy, regular use could shrink your testicles, raise your blood pressure and damage your liver, kidneys and heart. Girls can end up with more body hair, smaller breasts and a deeper voice. 
 
Despite this, there are legitimate medical uses of steroids, such as the treatment of AIDS patients lacking body weight, as well as boosting red blood cell numbers in patients with anaemia, as mentioned above. 

In South Africa, I am aware of boys from as young as 14 who just want to look 'big'. This is because of so many reasons, the main two being girls, and male ego. I don't want to generalise, but the problem is triggered in a similar way to anorexia amongst girls: just like teenage girls see stunning, skinny models in magazines and on TV and get burning desires to be like them, guys see built-up, muscly men in magazines with attractive women and generate a similar want to be the same. So, the commercialising of athletes and sportsmen and the glorification of their bodies is a major factor in this problem, but how do magazines such as Men's Health deal with it? Meanwhile, a survey was done in Australia of over 22,000 high school students and showed that 2% of 12- to 17-year-olds had used steroids “without a doctor’s prescription” in an attempt to make them “better at sport, to increase muscle size or to improve your general appearance”. And these statistics only represent one 'sample' in the world as a whole, showing that steroid use in young people is growing. It's a cycle that becomes extremely dangerous, especially in high school environments where trends and rumours are spread like wild fire. Of course there will be one senior student who "every guy wants to be and every girl wants to be with"; As soon as he reveals his secret to his chick-scoring, sculpture-like abs, and toned biceps, every other guy will want to jump on the bandwagon.

This does not end at high school. If anything, it gets worse as one enters the world of professional sports, where pressure, publicity and expectations to perform mounts. Anabolic steroids is a banned substance across all major sports committees, the FIFA and MLB to name a few, yet athletes persist on using them in belief it will give them a competitive advantage. And just like in high school, the steroid trend will inevitably spread. One of the most commonly known incidences occurred in the world of cycling, where Lance Armstrong became one of the biggest disappointments in sporting history.

Armstrong started off as a young cyclist with promising talent, going on to embark on a rocky journey that saw him get diagnosed with testicular cancer as well as win seven Tour de France titles. On top of that, he was the face of the cancer charity 'Livestrong,' that raised millions of dollars towards the fight against cancer. This was all very
good at the time, and was the sporting world's greatest legend that thousands looked up to, until it was revealed that he was the instigator of a doping ring with the U.S Postal Service racing team, as well as being a user of performance-enhancing drugs himself. Lance Armstrong was the key element in the cycling world being riddled with doping conspiracies. His bullying of other cyclists into doping and excessive commitment to winning all the time soon caught up with him when the US Anti-Doping Agency released evidence that included confessions from his fellow cyclists confirming Armstrong's use of steroids throughout his cycling career. He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, given a life ban from cycling, and lost all eight of his sponsors: probably the biggest fall from grace sports fans have ever seen.

Armstrong's unhealthy addiction to winning rightfully came back to haunt him, similarly with professional sprinter and Olympic Gold Winner Ben Johnson.Although he wasn't the only athlete to commit the crime, he was the face of a much larger doping conspiracy, just like Armstrong. And just like Armstrong, his story shook the world. Johnson won the 100m gold medal at the 1988 Olympics held in Seoul, and was immediately stripped of it when he was found guilty of doping.

The 100m final race in Seoul is known to be one of the dirtiest races in sporting history. Only two out of the eight athletes that competed were never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, yet Johnson was the face of it all. This week marks 25 years since Johnson's fall.

"I was nailed on a cross, and 25 years later I'm still being punished. Rapists and murderers get sent to prison, but even they get out eventually. I know what I did was wrong. Rules are rules. But the rules should be the same for all," explains Johnson.

As you can see, steroids is nothing new, and will continue to grow if measures are not taken. However, why do some people think that steroids should not be banned in professional sports? I have seen numerous polls and articles that are in favour of the legalisation of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports, simply because it may be the only way to 'level the playing field.' Is it the only way to make sports completely fair, where no one is at an advantage? Steroids in sports may raise the bar in terms of performance and entertainment, but athletic performance would no longer be natural. Talent will no longer be raw. Surely, any Tom, Dick, and Harry could become a professional athlete if they were allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs? And wouldn't the health consequences put the entire world of sport at risk?

If this were to happen, sports as we know them will plummet into the ground and a whole new era of 'competitive sports' will emerge. The Lionel Messi and Usain Bolt sporting idols of today will no longer exist, nor will the integrity of playing professional sport. Sport will become more of a business, a trading market, and an opportunity to show off, than it is a platform for aspiring sportspeople with talent worth admiring.

This was a tough article to write, but I am interested to hear other peoples' points of view on the topic. Doping in sports will continue, regardless of the consequences athletes such as Armstrong and Johnson faced, but should the role of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports be reviewed?

All for now,
Gabi 


Links:

"I was nailed on a cross, and 25 years later I'm still being punished. Rapists and murderers get sent to prison, but even they get out eventually. I know what I did was wrong. Rules are rules. But the rules should be the same for all."
Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/athletics/sport/story/241555.html#0psgg6BxiDesT6Gz.99Links:

BBC - Advice - Anabolic Steroids.
Increasing steroid use in young people: do they know the harm?
Why It's Time To Legalise Steroids in Professional Sports

No More Predictions For Me.

Okay so my predictions of Saturday's matches were basically not even close. Chelsea's success was the only thing I sort of guessed right, and I'm happy they've made a come back. But, overall, it just proves to show how unpredictable this league is, making it so exciting. I'm really disappointed in Liverpool; I was really hoping they'd maintain their winning streak and remain at the top of the table. I was again pleasantly surprised by Swansea and they've really impressed me this season.

In other news, Arsenal are at the top of the table! They're my main men in this league and I'm so glad they've come back from their fall last season. But, it's not over yet, and I'm sure many more surprises await us all...

This weekend's Premier League: Predictions.

I have decided to do my own predictions for any important upcoming matches: I was not far off this week when I predicted a 4-1 for Barcelona against Ajax with a hat-trick from Messi (end score was 4-0 with a hat-trick from Messi) and a 2-1 win for Arsenal over Marseille with goals from Ramsey and Wilshere  (end score was 2-1 to Arsenal with a goal from Walcott and a goal from Ramsey) and so I thought I'd try my hand at it again.

Norwich vs. Aston Villa 
Norwich were dominated by the Spurs last weekend, but retain an unbeaten record at their home grounds of Carrow Road. Hopefully they will maintain this against Aston Villa, however, Christian Benteke has proven to be a class player with solid consistency since the start of the season. Aston Villa's only points in the league have come from away games, on the other hand, so will this be the case against Norwich this Saturday?

Prediction: 2-1 to Aston Villa.

Liverpool vs. Southampton
Liverpool remain at the top of the Premier League and obtained a perfect start to the season. Daniel Sturridge has scored in all 4 of their matches this season and it is possible that this will continue this weekend. Southampton have only lost one of their 4 games so far, but Liverpool have a home advantage.

Prediction: 3-0 to Liverpool.

Newcastle United vs. Hull City
Newcastle have won their last two league matches, and Hatem Ben Arfa has proven to be the key player in their recent successes. It seems that Hull struggle to secure victory when away from home but have come up against difficult opposition including Chelsea and Man City. Newcastle could get a home win, which will put them ahead in the table.

Prediction: 2-1 to Newcastle.

West Bromwich Albion vs. Sunderland
Sunderland visit West Brom this Saturday and are the only team sitting below them in the overall standings. West Brom have had a poor start to the season, losing both their matches at home and only scoring one goal in four games. Sunderland may also struggle for victory but will need to make some changes for them to abandon their place at 20th in the League.

Prediction: 1-0 to West Brom.

West Ham vs. Everton
West Ham's performance has been encouraging, only losing one of the four league matches. However, Everton boast wins in all four of their opening league matches.

Prediction: 2-1 to Everton

Chelsea vs. Fulham
Chelsea's unexpected loss to Basel FC has raised concern for Blues supporters and will need to turn their performance around to remain at the top of the table. Their collapse on Wednesday may lead to Fulham taking advantage, especially after their positive start to the season.

Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea.


I will write again tomorrow with the actual results and how right or wrong I was.

Gabi

Has South Africa finally opened their eyes? ANCYL is worried about the state of South African soccer, apparently.

So, the African National Congress Youth League released a statement that they are concerned over "the weaknesses of development structures in South African soccer."

Really? They only realised this NOW? How many World Cups and African Cup of Nations did we have to not qualify for in order for them to think: "hang on, something isn't quite right here." ?

Although I do not entirely support all of the Youth League movements, this is one of the only times I have seen them bring to surface something worthy of our attention...

Spokesman Bandile Masuku of the ANCYL suggested the South African Football Association (SAFA) should look towards the national team playing more frequently, including the youth teams, and more exposure given to the younger players to better the quality and opportunity of youth teams as well as Bafana Bafana.

Hold on, that's not the best part.

"The league also proposed the inclusion of females in SAFA's national executive committee."

Hooray, South Africa! It looks like you are finally trying to eradicate the issue of gender inequality in South African sport! They suggested this as the committee only has 2 females out of 40 members, and that "This situation undermines our collective drive as a nation towards the transformation of all our institutions to be gender representative." Masuku, I hope you stick to your word.

There's not much else to say about this, other than I am extremely pleased that attention is being brought to this. South Africa's most popular sport is football, and the support and culture is hugely dominant, but teams' ability to deliver to the nation is not strong. If soccer in South Africa is invested into more, I have no doubt Bafana Bafana have a very good future ahead of them, and hopefully in a World Cup or two, as well.

All for now,
Gabi

The Football Money-Making Business: will the integrity and honesty of the game ever return?

Money is the center of the world. As much as alternative, free-minded people such as myself hate to admit it, this is the sad reality that currently exists. Money is everything, and you won't get very far without it. However, as much as money is the basis for most things in the world, my DNA goes against the excessive amounts of money being spent on certain aspects of football. Do not think this contradicts my earlier statements about the importance of funding, otherwise I am afraid you are confused.

In the mainstream footballing world of today, players are being bought by clubs for extremely large sums of money i.e. Gareth Bale was bought by Real Madrid for £86.3 million ($132 million) and FOR WHAT REASON? Money is raping the football culture of honesty, passion and overall modesty. Egos are inflating and it seems as though players are only playing for their paycheck at the end of every month.

The topic of transfer fees is not new. It has been a frequently-argued and controversial topic dating all the way back to 1905 in England: the country that gave birth to football. Middlesbrough became to first club to splash out a four-figure sum in the transfer market, buying Alf Common for £1000. J.C Clegg, who was a member of the FA at the time, was highly against a move of this nature, believing that the "buying and selling of players is unsportsmanlike and most objectionable in itself, and ought not to be entertained by those who desire to see the game played under proper conditions." I could not agree more with Mr. Clegg: with money involved in the sport, players' behaviour on the football pitch is changing dramatically. I feel that, because players are so overly aware of their numerical value to their club, diving after soft tackles is becoming more frequent, and arguments with the referee are condoned. I have seen one player too many throwing tantrums like little kids when a decision made by the ref does not suit them. This is where I feel strongly that the rule existing in rugby, where no player can dispute a decision made by a match official if they don't want a yellow card, no matter how questionable it is, should be enforced in football. That way, players will lose this authority that they think they have, and start playing the game "under proper conditions" and with amore believable passion. Football is a global culture, a global language, and fanatics such as myself should be able to trust the performance of players on the field.

The transfer made in 1905 provoked quite a lot of reaction, and the "FA enforced a temporary ruling to start from January 1 1908 that prohibited any transfer from going through if the fee involved exceeded £350." Why can't this be applied to the football world of today? Obviously, I understand that a fee of £350 is highly unrealistic with the current state of the world economy, but you get the point. Clegg's thoughts do ring true today, even after 104 years. Former Italian head coach Arrigo Sacchi recently appealed to the UEFA President Michel Platini about football clubs spending more money than they actually need to. Sacchi is convinced that Real Madrid's signing of Welshman Gareth Bale was primarily for commercial reasons than it was for practical footballing reasons. The Italian feels clubs should "invest what you receive," as the football money-men are "drugging and polluting the market." Why can't this thought be introduced to big clubs such as Real Madrid, and indeed across the world? The transfer window frequently sees clubs paying more for players than society feels they are worth, and this needs to change.

In a slightly different area of the topic is the money-making schemes that exist behind closed doors: betting and match-fixing. Just yesterday, Singapore police and authorities took fourteen Singaporeans into custody for, what was believed to be, a global match-fixing conspiracy. The suspected leader, Tan Seet Eng, also known as Dan Tan, is believed to have lead a syndicate that rigged hundreds of games across Europe and Africa. It is possible that matches with extremely high profiles, such as World Cup Qualifiers and Champions League matches, were illegally interfered with by this match-fixing mastermind. Whilst I understand that the concept of betting is fairly innocent and acceptable, I will NEVER understand why match officials are being bribed approximately 30 000 euros to secure a certain result. And even bigger than that: why are they accepting the bribes? Who knows how much money elsewhere is floating around the football world but, in order for the integrity of the game to be protected, this corruption needs to end.

All for now,
Gabi

Links:
How money has 'ruined' football.
Singapore arrest 14 in crackdown on football match-fixing.

First Women's Soccer League in Brazil: maybe the rest of the world will catch on?

My supervisor at work suggested I work on my blog today, and one of the most pleasing things I see shared on Google+ is an article about the introduction of Brazil's first official women's domestic soccer league. This is quite a large step forward for women's football, not just in Brazil, but around the world, especially since Brazil has given birth to some of the best players in the world. (Ronaldinho, Neymar Jr. etc...) I have decided to be hopeful that this news will spread to other countries in the world, including to South Africa, and will inspire them to pay more attention to, and potentially invest in, female soccer.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced the news this week that Brazil's first domestic women's soccer league 'Campeonato Brasileiro' has been introduced, with government-owned bank Caixa Econômica Federal  as its main sponsor.What made me the happiest is this: "The state-owned bank has signed a deal with the CBF worth reportedly R$10 million (US$4.4 million) to fund the new women's league." 

FUNDING, FINALLY.

In one of my previous posts I mentioned that funding was one of two most crucial elements in the growth of women's football, and I am so extremely excited for Brazil and the future of their female teams. With this funding, the league will gain more exposure and hopefully lead to expanding within the league, as well as spreading their influence in other corners of the world. I strongly believe that, coming from a country with one of the leading football cultures in the world, more heads will be turned to women's football. 

The only thing I am slightly worried about is if the league fails to prove its worth after so much money has been invested into it. Obviously, it won't kick off immediately in terms of popularity, packed stadiums and merchandise to raise money but, with women's football running parallel to men's, it is possible that football fans will be too slow to commit and support the new league. If this were to happen, I fear that women's football in Brazil will go in reverse. 

I can and will only be optimistic and supportive of Brazil's decision to invest in this new league, and I wish all the best to the 20 female teams participating. Every other country in the world (SOUTH AFRICA!), can you please pay attention to this?! 

All for now,
Gabi 

Link to the Brazilian Football Confederation website: Brazilian Football Confederation
Information about Campeonato Brasileiro: Campeonato Brasileiro
 

Girls' College Football, South Africa.

This post may not fit in completely with the general theme of my blog, but this topic is something that I feel needs more attention.

I have recently acquired a job at Treverton College in Mooi River, South Africa, coaching the girls U15 soccer team. Although I understand that College sport is not in the same league as club sport, I feel there are still necessary measures that need to be taken if it is to be taken seriously.

I coach at Treverton twice a week for an hour and a half each time and, normally, there is a great turn out of girls that are enthusiastic and eager to play. There are approximately 22 girls each session. In a sense, I am very relieved that the staff were happy for me to coach the girls as I don't think that they had a coach of experience for the term before I applied for the job. I was surprised to find out that the other coach assigned for the term for the U15s hardly knew anything about the sport. For a South African boarding school that is highly regarded for it's sport, it was unexpected that there was not sufficient coaching. Despite this, I hope the college is happy to have me as I thoroughly enjoy what I do for the girls.

My frustration increased after my first match as coach last Thursday, where the girls were to play St Anne's Diocesan School U15As. Firstly, St Anne's casually arrived approximately half an hour late, delaying kick-off. Although Treverton came out with a successful 2-1 win, I found the casual approach to the whole ordeal quite unsettling, and extremely different to how matters were handled when I was playing college soccer in England. There was no official referee, and a 1st team boys' soccer player was used instead. However, this was not really an issue, and the ref did a great job. There was no medical staff nearby in the case of an injury, either, which should be necessary, especially considering where the college is situated.

Above all of this, what irritated me the most is the fact that there were some seriously talented girls that are not given the correct exposure. It's girls like the ones I coach that need to be given a chance in a much bigger and serious sporting environment. They are huge assets to the school team, but school coaches should be looking to encourage their development in a more professional atmosphere. I understand that this is difficult, especially at a college sport level, but I am sure that, if they wanted to badly enough, they could look to find other opportunities for them. I was made aware that a few of the girls were selected to play for the KwaZulu-Natal Schools representative side, but then I was told that they've only ever played with them once. There is a huge gap in this, and the Natal side either needs to take matters more seriously, or colleges such as Treverton need to seek alternative opportunities for the girls that display such incredible talent.

Overall, not enough attention is being payed to the potential that exists in colleges such as Treverton. The future lies in the youth, after all, and how is the future supposed to be positively ensured if nobody is giving them the attention they deserve?

All for now,
Gabi

Will Women's Football Remain Inferior? Part 2: Answering the Question.

A Brief History.

The North-London team. Nettie Honeyball is
the second from the left in the top row.

It seems to me that women's football has remained in dark shadows for a significant amount of time, but there are so many things that people don't take into consideration! The very first football match played by women was in 1895... 1895, people! Everyone makes as though women playing football is a recent concept but, clearly, it isn't. In 1884, a woman conveniently named Nettie Honeyball became a pioneer for women's football in England, placing advertisements in press throughout the country, and eventually persuaded about 30 women to become members of the British Ladies Football Club. She encouraged an ex-Tottenham Hotspurs player to coach the team, and the first match ever between the "North" and the "South" took place in London on the 23rd of March, 1895. North-London beat South-London 7-1, and the match seemed to pleasantly surprise many. At the time, the Sportsman newspaper reported: 

"True, young men would run harder and kick more strongly, but, beyond this, I cannot believe that they would show any greater knowledge of the game or skill in its execution. I don't think the lady footballer is to be snuffed out by a number of leading articles written by old men out of sympathy both with football as a game and the aspirations of the young new women. If the lady footballer dies, she will die hard." 

This statement doesn't deem any truer. In theory, one could say that men's football and women's football are two very different sports. This is due to two extremely crucial differences: anatomy, and funding. The male body is obviously structured to succumb physical intensiveness, with their higher muscle capacity makes their agility and strength more obvious on the field. Women have less muscle capacity and are, generally, not as strong, making the female game not as physical and slightly slower. Moreover, FUNDING. The best coaches go to the men's teams, where women have to settle for less specialised and technical work. It is for these reasons that female players are stuck where they are: a slight mockery and comparably less significant in the sporting world. If more money and time is not invested into women's football, the same old stereotype will continue to exist. 

The biggest crowd to date for a women's football match was in 1920 on Boxing Day, where Preston-based Dick Kerr's Ladies had an audience of 53 000 whilst they beat St Helen's Ladies 4-0. To many people's frustration, Ladies Football was banned from playing on Football League grounds in 1921 by the FA, claiming:  “…the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged." I wish I was there at the time to ask who the hell has the authority to decide that women playing football is 'unsuitable.' What is the deciding factor, actually? 

It was only in 1971 when the ban was lifted. For 50 years, women were forbidden to play on the grounds of affiliated clubs. This relates back to my point about funding: whilst men's football has been funded since it began, women's football had a half a century exclusion from any investment into the sport they wanted to play and develop in (sharing the same motives and desires as the men). This immediately categorises women's football as significantly less prominent, and this still seems to be evident today. Whilst I will agree that it is growing in popularity and is slowly becoming more recognised, it will never be at the same or a similar level as men's football, because not many are willing support the notion. 

England has the greatest history in women's football, where women were playing during the war and men were attending matches to pick out wives based on their ability to play. However, it does not mean that a similar culture can't be created in countries all over the world. I sure as hell wish South Africa's Banyana Banyana could be respected in the same way England's female team is. Why can't women

playing football be appealing to the people of today, especially the men? Why can't it be supported and admired in the same way as men's football? These are questions which will continue to keep me awake at night.

More to come,

Gabi.

If you have anything to ask or comments to make, please don't hesitate; I value any extra insight and perspective.

Twitter: @Gabiblombard

Sources:

http://www.thefa.com/GetIntoFootball/Players/PlayersPages/WomensAndGirls/History_of_womens_football.aspx

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Fwomen.htm

Will Women's Football Remain Inferior? Part 1: My Story.

For far too long now, the subject of women's football is not one that is frequently taken seriously amongst the sportspeople of today. I, for one, am no longer going to stay quiet about the topic.

Let me tell you my story first...

I am an avid football player, where I started to play at the age of 8 with the boys' team at my Prep school in South Africa. Obviously, a girls' team did not exist, and I was welcomed to the first practice by muffled sniggers and whispering by cocky 8-year-old boys. I will admit that being the only girl brave enough to try out for football with the boys at my school, the majority of whom were my good friends, was slightly overwhelming and I had to have a little cry. I overcame this so quickly, though, as my connection with the beautiful sport rapidly developed. I made it onto the B team (...there were only an A and B team) but I was hardly ever on the bench and, as I started to settle and find my feet on the pitch, I started turning heads. By the time I was 11/12, two more girls had joined the boys' team with me, and I was being put on trials for the A team. Unfortunately, I didn't make it due to a really inconvenient ankle injury.


By this time, my dad had accepted a job offer in Saudi Arabia, where we moved when I was 12. I continued to play football there, mainly on basketball courts or astroturfs. Because of the unbearably hot weather, football was on as a school sport for a limited 6 weeks a year. After being at the school I was at for just over a year, I was captaining the Middle School girls team, where we came second in an inter-schools tournament. The year after, I was made captain of the Junior Varsity girls team, where we came second in a regional tournament in Bahrain, along with many other matches in between. My family and I then moved back to South Africa in December 2010, where I refused not to play my beloved sport, and so joined a local club called Crusaders FC. Some of my best moments as a player were played with this club, and I was awarded the Most Valuable Player of 2011/2012: a truly honourable label. We were considered a 'Ladies' team, but some of our best players were as young as 14, and we competed in well-recognised leagues amongst other university and local clubs. I was the striker for Crusaders, and given the nickname of "Spongebob" for, initially, tackling like a sponge, and my experience with them truly boosted my entire footballing career. Unfortunately, my time at Crusaders was limited as I was set to go to boarding school in the UK in September 2011. However, this was not the end of my time as a footballer, and I only went upwards from there. I went to a school called Malvern College, in the county of Worcestershire, where I very quickly joined the girls' football team after my arrival there. The girls' football team was relatively new there, but I wanted to be a part of it nonetheless. After joining, I immediately made my place in the team as the new striker. The first year was amazing, despite playing in some of the most horrendous weather conditions imaginable. The second tournament we went on, a 7-a-side tournament at King's Taunton, saw us winning the plate competition (basically, we came fourth) out of approximately 20 other teams. It was at this same tournament where I was scouted by the Independent Schools Football Association manager to attend trials to represent the U18 South-West Regional side. Knowing that opportunities such as this would never be presented to me back home in South Africa, I was well and truly overwhelmed and so honoured to have been recognised for my apparent talent. I went to the trials for this regional squad, and made it. Following this was a regional tournament with my "new" team, including 2 other girls from Malvern that were selected, where we played at Marlborough College against the other regions: Midlands, South-East, and Scotland U18 representative sides. This was possibly the toughest tournament I had ever been a part of, where girls were showing skill that I had never seen before. It was a bit of a slap in the face to me as I was so used to being one of the best players in any team I was in, but this time each girl was incredible talented, and evidently so devoted to football. On the other hand, it was incredibly reassuring that I was not the only girl who played with such fervour and passion, and had an undying love for the game. My next year at Malvern saw my appointment as the U18 Girls' Football Captain: a truly humbling position to be given. I developed bonds with the girls in the squad that I hadn't had before, and received a new level of respect from them as their new captain. The season of 2012/2013 saw many successes from us, as well as myself, along with 4 other girls, being selected for the South-West regional squad. I also received full sporting colours for football, which is something I couldn't be more proud of. 

I was given an opportunity to take my football to another level when I was given an offer by Loughborough University, which has the best female university football team in the whole of England, but I turned it down. Unfortunately, my time in England was soured by

numerous elements, and the thought of returning home to South Africa became progressively more appealing. I was unsure about whether I could deal with the miserable weather and other things that got on my nerves for an additional 3-4 years, and so I turned down the offer and instead applied to Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, to study a Bachelor of Journalism. This was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make, as coming home would mean sacrificing a whole spectrum of opportunities in terms of my football as well as my future career. However, the thought of being back in my Motherland with people who I had more common ground with seemed to outdo staying in the UK. I have come to terms with the fact that I will not be playing football at the same level as I had been or would be playing at in the UK, but as long as I am still playing, whether it be with the university team or a local side, I will be happy. For as long as I am able, I will never surrender my adoration for this sport. 

Now that that is out of the way, my next few blogs will focus on my views on women's football worldwide, and why I think it should be empowered. 

All for now,
Gabi. 
Twitter: @Gabiblombard