Feature: Pressure and luck, a recipe for captaincy

Sana Mehmood, Pakistan women’s football captain has never found it hard to juggle between the studies and her passion.

Pursuing a bachelors degree in Social Sciences, taking time out for football can never be easy, especially when the training sessions need to be regular and for the national team.

However, the pressure – of studies and her passion – is not too overwhelming for Sana Mehmood, Pakistan women’s football captain who has never found it hard to juggle between the two, setting an example for others.

Mehmood’s ascent to captaincy, from her playing days in school and college, came courtesy a well-timed opportunity that arrived at her doorstep. Equally passionate about basketball, Mehmood learnt that Young Rising Star (YRS), a club formed by the US Embassy in Pakistan as part of a 2007 State Department Youth Enrichment Program, was coming for a three-day trial. This, during her A-levels at the Beaconhouse School, gave her the opportunity she was waiting for.

Competition was tough and out of seventy girls, thirty made it to the short-list, including Mehmood. And thus began the professional career of a girl that would take her to heights she has not even dreamt of, including international exposure via training programmes and tournaments.

Personal glory and achievements aside, Pakistan captain regrets that the sport is not given enough respect in the country, adding that the perception of a female playing football will change if critics and doubters come and watch the team play. Mehmood is also confident that most of them will be shocked at the talent and the intensity of the passion the young girls possess.

“Sometimes it’s disheartening to see that when you are playing a big match, there are only our parents and close friends cheering for you in the stands,” recalls Mehmood.

Acknowledging that Pakistan is a conservative society where the sight of women in shorts playing a ‘masculine’ sport like football is considered outrageous, Mehmood believes that it is the passion of girls who are involved in the sport that matters.

“If they’re passionate enough, nobody will take advantage of them. They’ll actually be taken seriously.”

The central defender, currently leading the national team in Bangladesh for the eight-nation SAFF women’s football championship, was also appointed YRS’ captain. Although she joined the club in 2007, the team did not win a title that year and were sent packing in the knock-out stages. That was not a confidence-shattering event for Mehmood who kept believing in herself and also in teammates who she claims were just as passionate.

The vigour paid dividends and at 21, she is the only captain to have won two national titles – in 2008 and 2010. She also led her team in the 2009 national championship where they had to settle for a bronze.

Not pointing fingers, Mehmood believes that not enough steps are being taken for the development of the sport in Pakistan. Investment in women’s football in terms of more training grounds, organised clubs, international tournaments are key to the development of the sport, she insists. As is targeting the grass-root level for the game evolves with age.

The writer is a sub-editor at The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2010.