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They say football is a sport that is meant to break all barriers of life and bring people together. But even football has barriers, the most prominent one being gender. Women’s football is gradually on the rise but football is still largely a men’s sport. In a country like India, it could not be more true.
23 year old Ish Jhaj, a Canadian footballer and coach of Indian origin is a woman on a mission: that of breaking the gender barrier that keeps girls from participating in organized sports. By founding ‘Shooting for Hope Football Club’, Ms. Jhaj who is a Kinesiology student at Simon Fraser University, aims to conduct a summer camp in Punjab, the land of her parents, to induct under-privileged girls into football, after she graduates. Currently the coach of an U-12 team for the Royal City Youth Soccer Club, she is a football fanatic who is committed to the cause of helping women take up the sport professionally.
We spoke with Ish on her playing career, the U12 team she coaches and what led her to found ‘Shooting For Hope’.
Harmit: Thank you very much for talking to our readers Ish. Tell us how your love affair with the beautiful game started.
Ish: I grew up in a small town called Quesnel. I was fortunate to grow up in a big family that had my two brothers, all of my cousins, aunts and uncles living together. Our parents encouraged all of us to play football at a very young age of five and I instantly fell in love with the sport. I went on to represent the club team and my passion grew. I played at the club, at home, any chance I got!
Harmit: When did you realise that football is more of a calling for you than a mere sport?
Ish: As I said, the seeds of my passion were sown right at childhood. It helped that everyone in my family was into sports. When I was around 11 years old, I started playing competitive football with rep teams. I found out then that I had a great appreciation for the game and thought of it as more than just a sport. After that, there was no looking back.
Harmit: Did you ever feel that Indian family values held you or other girls back from organized sport even in immigrant Indian communities in Canada?
Ish: My family never enforced any such restrictions on me and always encouraged me to pursue my passion. I can’t speak for all Indian families but I can imagine other girls may not have been as fortunate as I was. It is a great challenge for girls to play because there is not much value in taking part in organized sports than going to school. I think it’s one reason why we see less of girls in sports.
Harmit: Tell us about your playing career at North Coquitlam and the structure of the league that you currently play in?
Ish: The season starts in September and goes till mid-March. I’m currently playing in the Primer division, and it’s a highly competitive league. We practice twice a week, and play games on Sundays. We work on fitness, core stability, fundamental skills, technical aspects of the game and much more.
Harmit: What is your role in the U12 Royal City Youth Soccer team that you coach?
Ish: I hold practice sessions for the girls twice a week and work with them on improving fitness, learning important techniques, fundamental skills, organization, etc. Their season also starts in September and goes till March. My main goal with the girls of this age level is to have fun. I want them to work as a team, enjoy and express themselves through the game.
Harmit: It is evident that your choice of a degree in Kinesiology is clearly influenced by your passion for football. How do you intend to take what you have learnt forward and do professionally after your graduation?
Ish: I really can’t see myself doing anything else other than be involved in the game which shapes my life in all forms. Kinesiology is a wide stream that encompasses a variety of topics such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, medical school, ergonomics, personal training, etc. I will be attending post-grad school after my degree to become a pedorthist. I will be trained in the assessment of the lower limbs and biomechanics using orthotics and other methods.
Harmit: In an age when football is only starting to gain importance in India, very little is done about women’s football. A few years earlier, the Indian women’s football team was dropped by FIFA, as no matches were organized for a very long time. Such is the poor state of affairs in the country. What led you to think of going to India and doing something about organized sport and girls?
Ish: My roots are in India. I’ve been there about 4 times and I absolutely love the country. I want to give the under-privileged girls the same opportunity that my parents gave me. Football has helped my life greatly, and I want other girls to have the chance to experience the wonders that I have. I’m very sad and disappointed to hear about what happened with the Indian National team. It’s unfortunate this happened, and it’s disheartening for young girls who dream to play. I hope I can make a difference with my organization and renew hope for women’s football in the country.
Teaching tactics and game plan
Harmit: Tell us about your training camp scheduled in India.
Ish: I will be running a 4 week long camp that involves on field training and off field development. We will work on fitness and basic skills. I believe it’s important for girls to feel positive about themselves psychologically and earn respect in the society. This programme will help to achieve that as we will work on building self-esteem and learn to set goals. I want the girls to be able to set goals for the future and achieve them, whether it’s in football, school or at work.
Harmit: How will ‘Shooting for Hope Football Club’ sustain itself after you are gone?
Ish: I will be working with Youth Football Club, Rurka Kalan, a very noble and supportive organization whose goals I identify with strongly. I will teach a few people who will fill in as coordinators when I’m gone. I will also leave a coaching manual behind and stay in regular contact and set effective tools to measure the progress of the girls and the team. My goal is to come back, continue what I started and take it to a bigger level.
Harmit: Ish Jhaj, thank you so much for your time and thoughts. Sportskeeda wishes you the very best of luck in your endeavour.
