22 Oct 2021 | 04:57am IST
It’s all about love for the game
A film about football in the state has been produced featuring young and experienced footballers who talk about their experiences and more importantly about the game played by young girls and how it is slowly but steadily improving
Ajit John
Football is in the blood
of
Goans. It is
discussed with great passion by everyone and anyone. The game has featured in
books, in plays and in movies. Now yet another feature film will showcase the
love for the game in the state. The film called Goal Goa talks about the time
when football pitches were not filled with players kicking the ball around
during the pandemic. Vaccination drives were taking place in football pitches
where young people once played football. Interestingly the film also talks
about how football came to Goa and how women players from the state compete
nationally.
The film features the first ‘woman’ coach
for the women’s national team, women national team players and girl athletes
who are excelling in grassroots football played on the beach. Lisa Heydlauff
Director of the film who was based in Mumbai for several years but moved to Goa
after Juhu beach was closed which meant she could not take her dogs out for a
walk. Lisa said British Telecom funded her company called Going to school. They
asked her if she could do something in the second wave and she said no. However
a discussion took place about football and how everyone should get out and play
football together. She decided to talk to young footballers both boys and
girls, senior and retired players. Talk about their experience and discuss how
to make the game better for girls and boys. Lisa said it was a shock to learn
that there was only one football tournament for girls. She said a start had to
be made at the panchayat level. It was important to invest in the game. Girls
playing the game learn new skills. The film was done over forty days driving
around the state talking to people who had never talked about their love for
the game before. People talked about how the game came to the state and how one
could do it different after Covid.
One of the people in the feature is
Yolanda de Souza, one time national footballer. She said she was interviewed
about her experiences as a footballer. She said “We had a very good women’s
football team in the 70s and the 80’s. We had a certain standing and we were no
2 in Asia. We used to compete with other countries. But our transition was
poor. Let me give you an example. We drew with West Germany. We did well in the
invitation world cup. This was in 1981 in Tapei. Germany took the step and they
moved with the men. Our women’s federation was not recognized and this break
destroyed the game. Now however, interest is growing again.” The national team
is now in Sweden and has been on tour across various countries. She said Lisa
had done a very good job and asked a lot of questions.
For young footballer Sania Pednekar who is based in Siolim said
she and her friends were playing and preparing for a tournament. A friend
informed her about the film and they were taken to the beach. She said “Lisa
spoke to me and said I would be the main character. I had to be myself a female
player and the experience was very good”. A player in mid field she wants to
play at a professional level. A fan of Millie Bright and Samantha Kerr of
Chelsea FC and Federico Chiesa of Juventus, she hopes to make her mark. She
spent two days at the shoot and has to still do the voiceovers. Another very
seasoned ex-footballer, Maymol Rocky said she had a conversation about her
journey in football. She said “It was raining and we had a chat. Women’s
football is picking up in the country as well as in the state. I was the coach
of the national team and stepped down for a while. The national team is winning
again and we are slowly going back to the good times of the 80’s.”
The
film also features Savio Medeira, Current Technical Director (Interim), India
National Football Team, Brahmanand Sankhwalkar, Former Captain, Indian Football
team (1983-1986) and Uvena Fernandes, International Footballer, Air Force
Officer, FIFA Referee to name a few. The feature film Goal Goa will air on DD
National on October 31st, 2021.