There is no place where Mounika is more comfortable than on the soccer pitch. Originally from Atmakur, a town near Anantapur, this 20-year-old has opened new doors for herself since she joined the Soccer Program at the Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA), our partner organization that advances opportunities and inclusion through sports in rural India.

A daughter of daily wage laborers, she has overcome all obstacles with much effort and courage to become the first female coach at the Atmakur Sports Development Center. Currently, she is in her final year of college pursuing a Bachelor’s in Arts, and wants to further pursue a two-year Physical Education course.

She stands out as a clear example of the transformative power of sports in rural India.

Mounika at the Atmakur Development Center © Cristòfol Oliver RDT

How did your relationship with football begin?

Since I was a child, I liked to participate in various competitions and sporting events organized by my school. One day, a coach from ASA came to explain the project to us and I didn’t hesitate for a second. I wanted to play and learn more about soccer. I knew I could do it well.

Have you had any problems because you were a girl?

At first, my mother was very happy but after a year when I got my period for the first time, she changed her mind. She told me that there was no need for me to keep playing. I felt very sad…I had learned and improved so much in just one year! How could she tell me to just leave it? Luckily, thanks to my father’s support and the advice from the coach, they let me play again.

What did it mean for you to enter the RDT grassroots soccer program?

Since the beginning, it was challenging to cope with my studies because we trained for about five hours a day. But I kept pursuing it because I love playing and training. I was a girl who had never left my village and suddenly I had the opportunity to play in other cities. Thanks to soccer, I have learned and grown a lot as a person and I want other girls to do it too.

Mounika training the children at the Atmakur Sports Development Center © Cristòfol Oliver RDT

And that is why you became a coach?

Yes, I am very happy and proud that I have this opportunity and that I can somehow be an example for other girls. I love helping them and solving their doubts and seeing that they are focused and motivated to improve day by day.

Apart from the technical aspects, what else do students learn through soccer?

Firstly, they learn about the importance of teamwork and commitment.  I have to repeat often that they should not argue or fight among themselves. I also focus on the importance of unity, teamwork, and respect for all. Sports are essential for their physical and personal development. They have fun and also learn a lot of things.

Mounika practicing at Atmakur © Cristòfol Oliver RDT

What will it take to continue promoting sports among girls in rural India?

We must continue working through awareness meetings with families, coaches and the girls themselves. At the beginning, the majority of participants in the sports program were boys and there were no female trainers, but this has been changing slowly. Without going any further, the number of girls who play soccer has tripled this last season and the Anantapur Soccer League, which did not exist when I started, is now a great opportunity for them. Women’s sports will continue to grow because the struggle for equality and the empowerment of women has no limits.

Text: Oriol Petit, adapted by Vicente Ferrer Foundation USA