Life’s beautiful game: From footpaths to football glory

When she was dribbling the ball during the nailbiting moments in the finals of the state-level football championship held recently in Vadodara, a gush of memories of her life on the footpath flooded her mind. But 16-year-old Jyoti Lodhi shrugged them aside, ran towards the goal and netted the ball, sending her team into a wild celebration.
Dozens of matches were played in 5th K K Vithani Memorial All Gujarat Invitation Football Tournament. But BFA Pathshala’s 5-0 triumph against Delhi Public School took the crown as an encounter which shows that resilience can kick down disadvantages.
As for Jyoti, she had scored not one but two goals with that last kick: one that left spectators stunned and the other that she had set for herself — achieving a feat so rare that it dissolves the stumbling blocks that made the achievement seem impossible in the first place.
It was a special occasion for Jyoti and her team of girls from poor families. Having spent their childhood in abject poverty, when they found themselves pitted against the students of the reputable DPS, Kalali, winning was not a choice. The girls had to prevail to keep believing that if they thought they could do something, they really can. They were initially nervous as the game was seen as a David and Goliath contest. And the girls rose to the occasion. “It was one of the best moments of my life. I felt as if I achieved something important and my confidence is sky-high,” an elated Jyoti, who won the player of the tournament award, told TOI. The team that picked up the championship trophy had started practising football
just four months ago. Some of the girls had never kicked the ball or even seen a game of soccer.
“It was my idea to introduce them to football and make them play in a competitive tournament. Football is a game where you learn to play as a team, bond with each other and trust your teammates,” said Juin Dutta, president of Srotoshwini Trust that runs the Pathshala project. The project provides free education to children from the disadvantaged sections of society. Dutta added: “I wanted the girls to master the skills that will help them take the world head-on and persist during hardships. ”
Dutta went on to say: “The idea was also to facilitate their mental and physical development. Sports is one of the best ways to learn interpersonal skills, which these girls need the most. So, I contacted the Baroda Football Academy that sent in their coaches to train the girls. ” She admitted that she never expected the girls to win the championship.
Despite the background they came from, their confidence was intact. “One needs to learn the technique of the game and some of them had to really work on it,” Dutta said. “I felt that even if they won a game or two, it would be great. But they won the tourney. I am so thrilled. ” Dutta watched the finals from the stands. The girls had practised for four months on the ground at the hostel built by Dutta’s.
Tejal Parmar, 14 (Goalkeeper)
When she went to her village in Jamnagar recently, Tejal was “hounded” by her community members and neighbours to get married. “In our part of the state, child marriages are rampant. My community didn’t want me to return to Pathshala, but I put my foot down,” said Tejal, the daughter of daily-wage labourers. She added: “I was clear that I wanted to study and my parents were supportive of my decision. ” Going against everyone’s wishes, she left her village and returned to Vadodara.
“As a kid, I used to see boys in my village play football. Once I too joined them, but got scolded by the elders,” she said. “My dreams came true when Navprerna School, where I studied earlier, honed my footballing skills. Look where I am now!” Tejal was the goalkeeper of the Pathshala team. She too wants to become a cop so that she can “put an end to child marriages and empower women”.
NGO in Savli taluka
“I get them to play in the sun and train them to be tough,” Dutta said. “I don’t pamper the players much and that’s the reason their on-field stamina was much better than that of their rivals. ”
About 98 girls and boys from poor families live in the hostel which provides them free education and food. “Some are children of ragpickers and construction labourers and many of them live in the slums,” Dutta said. “They all celebrated this spectacular win in the hostel like one big family. ”
Sandip Desai, who runs Baroda Football Academy, said: “The BFA Pathshala girls were inspiring on the field when they took on their opponents with panache and authority. ” The academy had organized the tournament. Desai added: “They were fearless and it was a delight to watch them in action. Our coaches trained them. ”
Desai said that the idea behind including teams comprising children from poor families was to give them a platform to showcase their talent and integrate them into society. “We do it as part of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity under which the underprivileged kids are not just coached but also given free football equipment,” Desai said. This sweet victory has bolstered Dutta’s aspirations for these girls. “I hope some of them go on to play in the nationals and win the game for the team,” she said.
Jyoti Lodhi, 16 (Forward)
The 16-year-old moved from Uttar Pradesh to Vadodara with her parents when she was a kid. Her parents were labourers at the construction site of a sports complex when she was picked for the Pathshala school project. “I don’t have many memories of my childhood but I remember playing on the footpaths,” she said. After joining school at the age of 9, Jyoti’s life changed for the better. She not only did well in academics but also became the student council head and the sports captain. “She is a born leader,” said Juin Dutta, who runs the Pathshala project.
Jyoti took to football after watching the game on TV and falling in love with the energy and quick-thinking it requires. “I played in the forward position and scored two goals in the finals. I like this sport as it taught me to play as a team member,” said Jyoti who won the player of the tournament award. She lives in the hostel with her sister and two brothers. She aspires to become an IPS officer. “Women face a lot of problems in our society. As a child, I faced them too. I want to stop harassment of women,” Jyoti said.