Today everyone celebrates International Women’s Day, a day when the world salutes the spirit and dedication of women. In Goa, the respect accorded to women is commendable especially ensuring that women can reach for the stars. Goa’s women athletes from Tanisha Crasto in badminton to Bhakti Kulkarni in chess, they are at the top in their fields There are many others who are doing a great job, many who have done it all by themselves.
One of a kind style of coaching
Maymol Rocky is a former India football captain and after her career ended, she moved to coaching the national team and later the U-20 national women's team. Based in Vasco, her father worked in the Navy. She played for the school nationals which was a U-19 tournament in Kolkata. Her talent as a defender was shown and she went for the football nationals as part of the state team. Over the next two years, she went for the women’s nationals held in Assam and then Punjab. Her performance stood out and she was called for the national team in 2001 against Chinese Taipei. She said, “Through my entire career, I have been helped by my coaches and I have made my choices which I stand by. It has all helped me.” Two years in the national team, she was named the captain of the squad.
After her playing days, she started coaching the U-16 national team, which was a huge responsibility. Dealing with the staff and their concerns and ensuring the team did well was quite an experience. In 2017, she was made the assistant coach of the national team and a year later she got the top job. She said, “2019 was the golden year for women's football in India. We played 30 matches and we lost quite a few and won a few. We won the SAF Championship. It was a great experience. The young woman of today needs to believe in themselves and enjoy whatever they are doing. They will go far.”
Sailing with serendipity
Pearl Colvalcar is 19 and a highly accomplished sailor. Sailing was not her first preference. Pearl said, “I was into surfing. In 2017, my mother was a professor in Germany and her colleagues were into sailing. My mother conducted her research and learned that there was a windsurfing camp in Dona Paula. I went for the camp, did not know how to swim and was scared of the water. I was pushed into it the first day and conquered my fear.”
After Covid, a championship was held where windsurfing was not there but sailing was and more specifically laser class. She started sailing in 2017 and started doing quite well in the championships and she went to the navy camp. Pearl’s challenge was to find good coaches. She started representing the Armed Forces because they had all the good coaches. She also learned much by watching Youtube clips. Pearl was very clear when she said, “My biggest support is my family but here women don’t get the support for sports. If your parents back you, you can achieve anything.”
Bringing brilliance to badminton
Indian women have carved a distinct niche for themselves in world Badminton and it looks like the next queen is here. Sanvi Audi, another bright star, started off playing with her father in front of their house in Mapusa. She started serious practice in Mapusa and later in Peddem. She gained prominence following her achievements in the U-15 and U-17 categories, including winning titles in the Goa State Ranking Badminton Tournament and progressing in mixed doubles at the Yonex-Sunrise All-India Sub Junior Badminton Ranking Tournament. But she still remains very unsatisfied. Her losses torment her.
She said, “I have reached many finals and lost. These losses, however, have taught me a great deal. People have tried to demotivate me. But for me hard work and practise only matters. I follow An Se-Young, world number one in badminton and Viktor Axelsen in the men’s section”. This Class 9 student is good in her studies and she hopes to go far with her dreams.
Keeping pace with table tennis
12-year-old Ishita Colaco is considered one of the bright stars in the world of table tennis. Her father took her for taekwondo and futsal too but once she saw Ulhas Raikar teaching table tennis, she was hooked to the game. She says, “We don’t have many good coaches in Goa and we don’t have good competition. Finance is a p roblem because I have to go for the zonals and nationals. I dream to play for the country and win medals”.
The Class 6 student practices in the morning, waking up at 5.30 am and being present from 6 am to 8 am, followed by school and then practice between 4 pm to 8 pm. Her performance has been very good. She is ranked no. 1 in U-13, no 2 in U-15, U-17, U-19 and runner up in the women’s section. She is confident about reaching her goals.