Glasgow girls hold women football seminar

The day’s event was designed to see the Glasgow Girls and members of the women football association exchange ideas of how they do things and also to inspire women football players.

Speaking at the official opening of the seminar, the president of the Gambia Football Federation, Lamin Kaba Bajo, reaffirmed his federation’s resolve to promote women football.

He said women football is key to their agenda just as it is to FIFA.

He commended Adventure Kicks and Gilkock Football Academy, Brufut Branch, for bringing the Glasgow Girls to The Gambia and also commended the Glasgow Girls for the choice they made to visit The Gambia for seven days with a view to taking women football to another level.

“I am sure the choice you made wasn’t a mistake because I am sure you are enjoying your stay in The Gambia. This is just another way of strengthening the already existing ties between The Gambia and Scotland,” Kaba said.

Mam Lisa Camara, an executive member of the GFF, called on both parties to use the platform to exchange ideas and forge links, saying: “As young people, we are obliged to face the challenge and not allow the negativity of others to fail us. So as women, we must weather the storm to build our own sport.”

Sainabou Cham, an executive member and a participant of the FIFA Leadership Development Programme, said FIFA supports the leadership programne because they want to bridge the gap between men and women.

She cited Africa as an example where women and girls are reduced to just doing the domestic chores.

She shared her experience with the participants, saying: “I have been disadvantaged in the past but I insisted and persevered to pursue my goals and today I am here sharing my experience with you.

“I am doing so because I have overcome cultural, traditional and selfish beliefs that women shouldn’t do anything rather than just the household activities.”

She added that her theme in the development programme is “Overcoming Barriers” and that she is determined to increase women’s participation in football in The Gambia, and to let them also access training facilities, set standards in women football education, as well as to provide a platform for more grassroots football activities.

For his part, Martin Myers, a representative of Adventure Kicks, who is a final licensed agent, appreciated the Gambian hospitality.

He promised that bringing to him Glasgow Girls has opened up doors for Adventure Kicks to partner more with interested parties for many more trips of this magnitude.

The seminar saw inspirational talks and practical football coaching sessions from coaches and players of both sides.

Established in 2008, the Glasgow Girls, who are in The Gambia for a seven-day football visit, have played two matches against two local clubs - a first and a second division side.

They lost to Red Scorpions 2-0 at the Serekunda East Mini Stadium and won 2-1 against second division side Jeshwang United at Brufut where the girls from Scotland played for the first time on a sandy pitch.

The Glasgow Girls will today hold a community coaching clinic for young female players from within Brufut before they wrap up their activities with a match against the female side of the Scorpions on Tuesday, 23 November 2015 at the Serekunda East Mini Stadium.