Optional practice on Tuesday

Today’s practice was optional and fewer girls showed up than last time. But there were also new players that I got to meet. Practice was very intense but also very fun! While I was not necessarily speaking the same language as the girls, I felt like I communicated with each one of them through the game.

One of the women who was unwilling to talk to me the first time we met opened up after the practice. She even taught me some tricks in football. Despite her older age, she is in great physical shape. She has practiced many different types of sports and is definitely one of the stars in the team. I learned that the girls perceive her as a kind of a mentor. At the same time, she is really modest and shy when people talk about her skills. When going to Saturday’s practice, I randomly saw her waiting at the same train station and drawing – the portrait she was working on was one of the most beautiful paintings I have ever seen in my life! I learned from her that she used to be an artist and she has visited every museum in Paris. She hopes to write a book with illustrations that she has painted. Given her talent, I told her I’d certainly buy her book – and I really would.

Another woman who speaks really good English (I will call her J.) and practices with the team (but has refused to compete in the championship) talked to me a lot as well. She mentioned it’s her birthday on Friday and that she really hopes I will join the team for their outing weekend. The coach seemed to support the idea and promised to e-mail me if I could go with the girls. Lucky me – I received three e-mails on Friday from the coach, one of the women organizing the event, and the birthday girl to insist I go to dinner with them.

After practice on Tuesday, J. told me she is writing an article for the organization that is helping her with housing. She has been selected as a vice president there and is really proud to do volunteer work for the organization. For her article, she wanted to interview one of the girls, A. – my friend from Sunday’s practice. J. asked me to join them and help by taking pictures for the article. I readily agreed, and Mikael and I were off to an interview with the girls.

The afternoon was a lot of fun. The four of us made a lot of jokes about practice and bonded well. Learning about A’s life was exciting. She is a girl my own age who had stopped attending school after thirteen. Her family was in a difficult financial situation and didn’t have time to bring her to school or football practices where she was already excelling (and she is one of the other team stars!). Before she was 18, she kept on playing on the streets and remained with her family. She tried to find a job, but without proper education it was very difficult. At one of the employment bureaus she turned to for help, she met with Said – the team’s coach.

She practiced different amateur sports for a few years and tried to pass a three-stage difficult exam for becoming a coach. However, she could only pass the first of them. Still jobless a few years later, she received a call from Said to invite her to participate in the first French female team for the HWC. This opened many doors for her. She could practice in a team with girls in difficult situations like hers. She could also compete for an important international championship and have the chance to be noticed by the many sports clubs who will attend the event. It was like a dream that had come true for her!