{"id":2712,"date":"2019-10-10T13:52:43","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T12:52:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conifa.org\/en\/?p=2712"},"modified":"2021-08-05T12:21:20","modified_gmt":"2021-08-05T11:21:20","slug":"playing-football-makes-me-feels-like-nothing-else-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conifa.org\/en\/playing-football-makes-me-feels-like-nothing-else-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cPlaying football makes me feels like nothing else matters\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Meet Sayler W Hla \u2013 a member of the Karen FA womens\u2019 team and a skilled football trickster in her own right! Sayler, 19, explains to us why she loves football and \u2013 on International Day of the Girl \u2013 why playing sport is so important for girls and young women\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

CONIFA: Hi Sayler! How did you first start playing football?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sayler:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cI started playing football was when I was 13 years old. I played in a co-ed [mixed] team and I was the only girl who played with all the guys. It was difficult at first because all the other girls were too shy to play at first \u2013 but when I started playing, they soon came along and got involved, which I was really happy about!<\/p>\n

\u201cMy uncle took me to my first game and he also bought me a new set of cleats [studs] that week, which I will always remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

C: How did you know you wanted to be a footballer?<\/strong>\u00a0How did that make you feel?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cI wanted to be a football when I was a sixth grader [aged 11]. I worked the hardest that year to make it in to the team at middle school. Unfortunately I didn\u2019t make it and that really made me question if I was good enough \u2013 but I didn\u2019t give up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember still playing in the park for fun while the middle school season was going on because I wanted to play for my school so much. I kept working hard to get a spot on the team. And all that hard work meant I got a starting spot the next year at middle school. That\u2019s when I fell in love with the sport. Even though I made it, I kept working hard because my next step was to make into the varsity team<\/p>\n

[first XI]<\/p>\n

at high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept that mindset throughout my middle school year, so that\u2019s why I was pleased when I was the only 9th<\/sup>\u00a0Grader [first year at high school] who made the varsity team on my first year. Football made me focus on what my goal was in the sport, so that\u2019s what I love it so much. It makes me feel accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n

C: What is your favourite thing about playing football?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cMy favorite thing about playing would have to be meeting new people and learning new tricks. Meeting new people makes you a more open-minded person who can see other perspectives. New people teach you new things that you never knew and some can end up being your best friends!<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning new tricks is fun and hard \u2013 but every time you get it, it makes you so happy and excited that you can finally do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I love more than football is eating chicken wings! If you know me, you\u2019ll know I love, love, love eating wings \u2013 but if there\u2019s a soccer game or tournament going on, I\u2019d rather be there or play there\u2026 before eating my wings.\u201d<\/p>\n

C: How does playing football make you feel?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cPlaying football makes me feel like nothing else matters at that moment. It makes me let out anger that I\u2019ve been holding inside, and all the stress that I build up. It makes me let go of all the negativity \u2013 and after playing, I feel like I\u2019m free from stress, anger and negativity.\u201d<\/p>\n

C: What\u2019s the team spirit like when you and your teammates go out on to the field?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhat my team \u2013 Midwest United \u2013 spirit is all about is to never underestimate the other team that we\u2019re facing. I had some players that I played with who doubted themselves before even touching the ball, which really made me upset because I knew they had more in them then they thought. What I do is just tell my teammates to give it all they\u2019ve got and it\u2019s okay to make a mistake while you\u2019re playing. Just go out there, give it your all and you\u2019ll be satisfied. Basically our team spirit is to always be positive\u2026 even when there\u2019s a negative outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

C: What does representing Karen FA mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cIt means a lot to me because if it wasn\u2019t for the KFA, I probably wouldn\u2019t have any other opportunities to play the game I love so much for my country. Growing up I couldn\u2019t play at clubs because money wasn\u2019t there, but even playing for the Karen tournament each summer builds you up to try other opportunities that are given to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

C: Karen FA\u2019s team motto is \u2018We play for you\u2019 \u2013 what does that mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe motto \u2018We play for you\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean for ourselves or just to show out to our people \u2013 but it means we play for the Karen people, people who didn\u2019t have a chance, but now who do. We play for everyone \u2013 women, children, men and for gender equality. We want everyone to have the opportunity to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

C:<\/strong>\u00a0Finally, what\u2019s the one thing you would say to other girls who are thinking about playing? What advice would you give to them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

S:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cYou will always have a chance if you keep working hard. Even if at first you fail, don\u2019t ever give up \u2013 just keep focusing on what you can do better. Always have a positive mindset and never be in competition with anyone but yourself. Learn from your peers and teach your peers and you will always have an opportunity waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

To find out more about the Karen FA, go to\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/karenfa.com\/<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

To find out more about International Day of the Girl, go to\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/events\/girlchild\/<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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